Continental TOMCAT MK6C accident near Cottonport, Louisiana, May 5, 1982
On May 5, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Continental TOMCAT MK6C (helicopter), registered N9098T, was destroyed in an accident near Cottonport, Louisiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonport, Louisiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental TOMCAT MK6C TOMCAT MK6
- Registration
- N9098T · registry record · serial CC1-79-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS FAMILIARIZING HIMSELF WITH THE ACFT & THE LOCAL AREA. THE PLT'S LOG BOOK SHOWED ONLY ONE HOUR OF FLT TIME LOGGED BETWEEN 9/23/81 & THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING FOR SOME TIME OVER THE CITY AT 300-400 FT AGL MAKING FIGURE 8 PATTERNS OR MANEUVERS SIMILAR TO AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING. THEY ALSO OBSERVED DEBRIS FALLINGFROM THE ACFT PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT WAS FOUND 3 BLOCKS FROM THE WRECKAGE & WAS FOUND BROKEN INTO 5 PIECES APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE MAIN ROTOR (M/R) BLADES. THE TAIL BOOM WAS BROKEN INTO 30-40 PIECES. THE STATIC STOP HAD INDICATIONS OF HEAVY CONTACT WITHIN THE M/R GIMBAL. THE STOP APPEARED TO BE BENT SEVERELY WHICH INDICATED EXCESSIVE FLAPPING OF THE M/R BLADES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,699 hours in all; 533 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,381 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Cottonport LA at 4:15 pm
- Destination: Cottonport LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW82FRJ10.