Amateur-built SM-1 accident near Franklinton, Louisiana, September 23, 1989
On September 23, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SM-1, registered N2AT, was destroyed in an accident near Franklinton, Louisiana (Franklinton airport). It was a personal 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
A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WERE A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Franklinton, Louisiana · Franklinton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SM-1
- Registration
- N2AT · no longer on the register · serial SM-001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & WAS VECTORED TO AN AIRPORT. JUST BEFORE TURNING BASE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND CRASHED. NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE POWER LOSS.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 920 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 609 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 14, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: GTR Columbus MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from NEW, 48 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.