Piper PA-24-250 accident near Farmerville, Louisiana, August 20, 1985
On August 20, 1985 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8050P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmerville, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 20, 1985 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Farmerville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8050P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3296
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF AND STARTED HIS CLIMBOUT WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR ON A FUEL TANK WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY EMPTY. THE ENG STOPPED REACHING AN ALT OF 200 FEET AGL. THE PLT MADE FORCED LANDING IN TREES. THERE WAS AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF FUEL (ABOUT 70 GALLONS) DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE OTHER THREE FUEL TANKS; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT ADEQUATE TIME TO SWITCH THE SELECTOR VALVE AND GET A RESTART BEFORE IMPACT OCCURRED.
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: 840 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F87 Farmerville LA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: F89 Winnsboro LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from MLU, 25 miles away
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.