Cessna 172M accident near Angola, Louisiana, March 24, 1985
On March 24, 1985 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73616, was substantially damaged in an accident near Angola, Louisiana (Angola airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 24, 1985 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Angola, Louisiana · Angola · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73616 · no longer on the register · serial 172-67579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY FOLLOWING AN APPROACH TO LAND AFTER THE PLT HAD ACCOMPLISHED A X-COUNTRY FLT WITH A PASS'G ON BOARD. THE PLT STATED THAT HE BECAME MOMENTARILY DISORIENTED DUE TO HAZE & BRIGHT SUNLIGHT DURING THE APPROACH. DURING THIS SHORT PERIOD OF DISORIENTATION THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN & NOSED OVER TO AN INVERTED POSITION.
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
- Flight time: 964 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 791 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9LA6 Pineville LA at 2:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Observation at 2:52 pm from BTR, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N73616 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.