Cessna 172L accident near Simpson, Louisiana, November 27, 1983
On November 27, 1983 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N2899G, was destroyed in an accident near Simpson, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 1983 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Simpson, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2899G · registry record · serial 17259599
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ALTITUDE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AFTER THE PLT ENCOUNTERD LOW CEILING AND RAIN DURING A X-COUNTRY FLT. IN ATTEMPTING TO FLY IFR AND FOLLOW RADAR VECTORS THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT LOST COUNTROL OF HIS ACFT AND SPIRALED INTO THE GROUND. THE NEAREST WEATHER STATION REPORTED 700 FT BROKEN CEILING WITH 5 MILES VISIBILITY IN RAIN. THE PLT DID RECEIVE A WEATHER BRIEFING BUT DID NOT ACTIVATE A FLT PLAN OR CONTACT ANYONE BY RADIO FOR OVER 2 AND A HALF HOURS ENROUTE. WHEN HE MADE CONTACT HE WAS ALREADY LOST AND CIRCLING IN THE RAIN. HE HAD BEEN OBSERVED ON RADAR AS HE CIRCLED NORTH OF FT POLK LA FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. 20 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST RADIO CONTACT THE PLT REPORTED HE HAD 35 MUNUTES OF FUEL LEFT. 10 MINUTES LATER THE CRASH OCCURRED.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER during cruise - normal
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during cruise - normal
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none
- Flight time: 184 hours in all; 99 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 139 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,264 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, April 29, 1983; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: CLL College Station TX at 9:55 pm
- Destination: LA31 Oakdale LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°C, dew point 66°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N2899G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW84FA077.