Piper PA-32-300 accident near Lake Charles, Louisiana, June 29, 1988
On June 29, 1988 at about 3:45 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N3969M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Charles, Louisiana (Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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
- June 29, 1988 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Lake Charles, Louisiana · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3969M · no longer on the register · serial 32 7840076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BETWEEN FLIGHTS, THE PILOT NOTICED THE NOSE WAS VERY HIGH WHILE TAXIING BUT THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE THE STRUT HAD FAILED TO COMPRESS. ON THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN, ON THE MAIN WHEELS, THE AIRPLANE STARTED PORPOISING AND DESPITE THE PILOT'S CORRECTIONS, THE PORPOISING INCREASED IN AMPLITUDE. PILOT APPLIED POWER FOR A GO-AROUND AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED A SHALLOW LEFT TURN THAT PILOT COULD NOT CONTROL WITH RUDDER OR AILERON. AIRPLANE TRAVELED 100 TO 200 FEET BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN, LEFT WING FIRST.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BNA Nashville TN at 11:56 pm
- Destination: KLCH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.