Cessna A185F accident near Loreauville, Louisiana, January 16, 1983
On January 16, 1983 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N1071F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Loreauville, Louisiana (Wind Mill airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- January 16, 1983 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Loreauville, Louisiana · Wind Mill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1071F · no longer on the register · serial 18502727
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT WAS PREFLIGHTED AND ALL THREE WATER TRAPS (SUMPS) WERE DRAINED UNTIL ONLY FUEL FLOWED. DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER AT APRX 400 FT AGL. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A CANE FIELD. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT HIT ROWS IN THE FIELD AT A 45 DEG ANGLE, THE FRONT GEAR DUG INTO THE DIRT AND THE AMPHIBIOUS PLANE NOSED OVER, DURING A SUBSEQUENT EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENGINE, A QUANTITY OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,189 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,270 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.