Amateur-built PREDATOR 480 accident near Welsh, Louisiana, August 21, 1985
On August 21, 1985 at about 3:05 pm local time, a amateur-built PREDATOR 480, registered N480AG, was destroyed in an accident near Welsh, Louisiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 21, 1985 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Welsh, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PREDATOR 480 PREDATOR 4
- Registration
- N480AG · no longer on the register · serial X-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALT OF APRX 20 FT AGL, THE ACFT ROLLED 20 TO 25 DEGS TO THE RIGHT. AFTER CORRECTING FOR THE ROLL, THE PLT STATED, THE ACFT SETTLED TO GROUND IMPACT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE GRASS AIRSTRIP USED FOR TAKEOFF CONTAINED 7 TO 8 INCH HIGH GRASS AND IT WAS WET FROM A 2 INCH RAINFALL ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. A SLIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND WAS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT THE TIME.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 175 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 9, 1985; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-C1BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.