Cessna A185E accident near Intracoastalcty, Louisiana, October 11, 1985
On October 11, 1985 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N21RH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Intracoastalcty, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under public-use (government) rules. 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
- October 11, 1985 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Intracoastalcty, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N21RH · registry record · serial 18501795
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS SPRAYING FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS. HE TURNED TO REVERSE COURSE AND THEN TURNED ON THE ACFT'S LANDING LIGHT TO CHECK HIS ALTITUDE. HE OBSERVED POWER LINES BUT IT WAS TOO LATE FOR EVASIVE ACTION. AFTER THE PROP IMPACTED THE LINES A PWR LOSS OCCURRED AND THE PLT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A PASTURE.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 18,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,898 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OR3 Abbeville LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:00 pm
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.
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.