Amateur-built BEARCAT 150 accident near Abita Springs, Louisiana, February 19, 1984
On February 19, 1984 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built BEARCAT 150 (ultralight), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abita Springs, Louisiana (St. Tammary Parish airport). It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 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
- February 19, 1984 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Abita Springs, Louisiana · St. Tammary Parish · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BEARCAT 150 BEARCAT 15
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRMAN TOOKOFF FOR A PERSONAL FLT, AND AFTER CIRCLING, MADE A DESENDING HIGH SPEED PASS OVER THE ARPT. HE THEN PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A CLIMB AND BEGAN A ROLL. ABOUT 2/3 THROUGH THE ROLL, THE VEHICLE'S NOSE DROPPED AND IT DOVE INTO THE GROUND. THE NOSE OF THE VEHICLE IMBEDDED INTO THE DIRT ABOUT 18 INCHES.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kawasaki TA440A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.