Cessna 172E accident near Leesville, Louisiana, September 27, 1983
On September 27, 1983 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N3058U, was destroyed in an accident near Leesville, Louisiana (Leesville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- September 27, 1983 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Leesville, Louisiana · Leesville
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N3058U · no longer on the register · serial 17250658
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
EARLIER IN THE DAY THE FOUR OCCUPANTS OF THE ACFT HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPT AS BEING DRUNK AT A LOUNGE NEAR ZWOLLE,LA. AFTER LANDING AT THE LEESVILLE ARPT THE ACFT RAN OFF THE ASPHALT BENDING BOTH ENDS OF THE PROP BLADES. THE OCCUPANTS ATTEMPTED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE BLADES WITH A PIPE WRENCH, & THEN PROCEEDED TO A NIGHT CLUB. AT 2230 TO 2300 THEY RETURNED TO THE ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PLT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.151%.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: gyroplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Deridder LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 160 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 am from LCH, 62 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
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.
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.