Beech 23 accident near Athens, Louisiana, March 14, 1983
On March 14, 1983 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2389Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- March 14, 1983 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2389Q · no longer on the register · serial M-270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST PRIOR TO THE FLT, A MECHANIC PERFORMED SOME MINOR UPKEEP FUNCTIONS ON THE ACFT & KNEW OF NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. HE WAS UNAWARE THAT THE OWNER WAS NOT A RATED PLT. THE MECHANIC ACCOMPANIED THE OWNER ON A LOCAL FLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE OWNER'S 3RD ATTEMPT TO LAND. THE 1ST PASS WAS HIGH & THE OWNER INITIATED A GO-AROUND. AFTER THE 2ND APCH, THE ACFT LANDED HARD & BOUNCED, AND THE OWNER MADE A 2ND GO-AROUND. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT ON THE 3RD APCH, THE ACFT WAS LOW & SLOW. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE APRX 200 FT FROM THE RWY & CRASHED. AT SHREVEPORT, LA, THE WIND WAS FROM 170 DEG AT 8 KTS. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE OWNER OF THE ACFT HAD APPLIED FOR A COMBINATION STUDENT PLT LICENSE & CLASS III MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON 4/5/78. HOWEVER, ON THE SAME DATE, HE FAILED TO PASS THE MEDICAL EXAM DUE TO A DIABETIC CONDITION. THEREFORE, HIS STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE WAS NEVER VALIDATED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from SHV, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.