Cessna 180 accident near Rayville, Louisiana, March 31, 1984
On March 31, 1984 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N7516, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rayville, Louisiana (Rayville Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 31, 1984 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rayville, Louisiana · Rayville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N7516 · no longer on the register · serial 32542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF THE ACFT YAWED LEFT. THE PLT OVERCORRECTED CAUSING THE ACFT TO YAW RIGHT & DEPART THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 904 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 870 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,000 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M79 Rayville LA
- Destination: MLU Monroe LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from MLU, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.