Cessna A185F accident near Houma, Louisiana, July 22, 1983
On July 22, 1983 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N4959Q, was destroyed in an accident near Houma, Louisiana. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 22, 1983 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Houma, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4959Q · no longer on the register · serial 18503586
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SUBMERGED IN WATER. AFTER IT WAS SALVAGED & REPAIRED, A FERRY PERMIT WAS OBTAINED TO FLY IT TO AMARILLO, TX. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AFTER THE 1ST 50 FT OF THE GROUND ROLL DURING TAKEOFF. HOWEVER. THE PLT CONTINUED TAKEOFF & USED ABOUT 3000 FT OF RWY TO GET AIRBORNE. HE THEN TURNED & FLEW BACK OVER THE ARPT AT ABOUT 500 FT WITH THE ENG STILL RUNNING ROUGH. THE PLT CIRCLED & FLEW OVER THE ARPT AGAIN WITH THE ENG STILL RUNNING ROUGH. AFTER THAT, THE ACFT DEPARTED THE TRAFFIC AREA AS IF THE PLT WAS GOING TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO AMARILLO. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ENG LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION & THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE USED ALCOHOL IN A FUEL INJECTED ENG.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,218 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AMA Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from HUM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.