Schweizer G-164B accident near Catahoula, Louisiana, August 20, 1988
On August 20, 1988, a Schweizer G-164B, registered N6685Q, was destroyed in an accident near Catahoula, Louisiana. It was an other work-use 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, 1988
- Place
- Catahoula, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164B
- Registration
- N6685Q · no longer on the register · serial 202B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG AIRPLANE WAS BEING UTILIZED TO SCARE BIRDS AWAY FROM THE RICE FIELDS. IT WAS 15 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND QUIT. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND BURNED. THE ENGINE AND ENGINE ACCESSORIES WERE SO DESTROYED BY FIRE THAT NOTHING COULD BE DETERMINED AS TO WHY THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND QUIT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 44,366 hours in all; 23,877 in this make and model; 274 in the last 90 days; 68 in the last 30 days; 44,360 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,659 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1988; 351 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2 RI Jeanerette LA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from LFT, 2 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.