Piper PA-31-350 accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, October 31, 1982
On October 31, 1982 at about 11:05 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N41045, was destroyed in an accident near Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Ryan Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1982 · about 11:05 am local time
- Place
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Ryan Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N41045 · no longer on the register · serial 31-825020
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF IN DARKNESS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS INDEFINITE CEILING, ZERO OBSCURATION, VISIBILITY 1/4 MI WITH FOG, WIND 120 DEG AT 5 KTS. A NUMBER OF WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRCRAFT, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER TAKEOFF. THE CONSENSUS OF THEIR STATEMENTS INDICATED THAT ONE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE THE OTHER CONTINUED RUNNING AT A HIGH POWER SETTING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AN INTENSE POSTCRASH FIRE HAD CONSUMED MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE PLANE HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE AND DID NOT MOVE AFTER IMPACT. THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS FOUND IN A FEATHERED POSITION. THE LEFT PROPELLER BLADES WERE CURLED AND TWISTED. BOTH ENGINES WERE DISASSEMBLE, BUT NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE GEAR AND FLAPS WERE RETRACTED AND THE COWL FLAPS WERE CLOSED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,784 hours in all; 336 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 1,605 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 290 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Moore Data Systems, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Baton Rouge LA at 5:00 am
- Destination: C Charleston WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 6,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 153°F (67°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from BTR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N41045 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.