Partenavia P68C accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, September 11, 1987
On September 11, 1987 at about 11:29 am local time, a Partenavia P68C, registered N1352W, was destroyed in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 11, 1987 · about 11:29 am local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Partenavia P68C
- Registration
- N1352W · registry record · serial 232
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BEGAN AN ILS RWY 18R APCH AT NGT TO THE LAKEFRONT ARPT. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER THE ACFT BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 1700', HE TRANSITIONED TO A VISUAL APCH. HE STATED THAT AS HE CONTD, THE APCH SEEMED NORMAL, EXCEPT THE VASI LIGHTS SEEMED TOO FAR DOWN THE RWY. HE REMEMBERED THAT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THE VASI WAS PROVIDING A RED OVER RED INDCN, BUT HE DID NOT WORRY AS HE PERCEIVED THE ACFT WAS OVER THE END OF THE RWY & HE WAS ABOUT TO FLARE. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT IMPACTED WITH WATER, WELL SHORT OF THE RWY. AS THE ACFT SANK, THE PLT ESCAPED THRU A HOLE IN THE WINDSHIELD. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS FOUND BY PASSING FISHERMEN. THE PLT BELIEVED HE HAD GOTTEN A FALSE PERCEPTION OF THE RWY LOCATION DUE TO REFLECTION OF LIGHTS OFF OF CALM LAKE WATER.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,164 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 14,905 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 913 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 1987; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OR9 Hammond LA at 11:00 am
- Destination: NEW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18R, 6,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:34 am from NEW
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.