Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, January 23, 1984
On January 23, 1984 at about 8:09 am local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N2115D, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. 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 23, 1984 · about 8:09 am local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2115D · registry record · serial 70985029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG QUIT AS THE ACFT WAS DESCENDING FOR AN APPROACH INTO MOISANT ARPT & THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE MAGNETO DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK WAS SEVERELY CRACKED & BOTH SETS OF BREAKER POINTS WERE DISPLACED AWAY FROM THE BREAKER CAM. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP IN THE MAGNETO. THE ROTATING MAGNETO SHAFT REAR BEARING WAS 'LOCKED UP' & HAD CAUSED THE BEARING RETAINER TO SPIN WITHIN THE DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK. THE INNER RACE HAD APPARENTLY WELDED ITSELF ONTO THE SHAFT DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP IN THE BEARING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,650 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 6,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,084 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 1984; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THL Tallahassee FL
- Destination: MSY New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from NEW, 9 miles away
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.