Piper PA-22-160 accident near Abbeville, Louisiana, September 30, 1986
On September 30, 1986 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N3050Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abbeville, Louisiana (Abbeville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- September 30, 1986 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Abbeville, Louisiana · Abbeville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3050Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-7004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PVT PLT TOOK OFF ON A PLEASURE FLT WITH 1 PAX ON BOARD. DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL. THE PLT THEN TURNED DOWNWIND & SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD ADJACENT TO THE ARPT. DRG THE LANDING, THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THERE WAS WATER IN THE CARBURETOR.
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: 221 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,797 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1985; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from LFT, 52 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.
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.