Cessna 172N accident near Mandeville, Louisiana, September 14, 1984
On September 14, 1984 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737LD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mandeville, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- September 14, 1984 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mandeville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737LD · registry record · serial 17269493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE AN EMERG LANDING ON THE SOUTH LANES OF THE LAKE PONTCHATRANE CAUSEWAY BRIDGE AFTER ENCOUNTERING A LOSS OF ENG POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT FUEL TANKS REVEALED BOTH TANKS EMPTY. ACTIVATION OF THE FUEL TANK DRAIN VALVES & THE FUEL STRAINER YIELDED NO FUEL.
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
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 388 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LA08 Covington LA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: MSY New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm
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.