Cessna 150L accident near Zachary, Louisiana, January 18, 1989
On January 18, 1989 at about 7:18 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N6757G, was destroyed in an accident near Zachary, Louisiana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL WEATHER CONDITIONS (IMC) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HIS INTENTIONAL TAKEOFF INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF CONTROLLING ACCESS TO THEIR AIRPLANES BY STUDENT PILOTS IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, AND HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1989 · about 7:18 pm local time
- Place
- Zachary, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N6757G · no longer on the register · serial 15072257
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FIRST SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT. NO WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED NOR WAS A FLT PLAN FILED. A LARGE FRONTAL SYSTEM, WHICH EXTENDED OVER SEVERAL STATES, WAS APPROACHING THE AIRPORT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST 12 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY STRUCK TREES IN A 50 DEG NOSE LOW, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE WX AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS FOGGY, RAINY, WITH 1 MILE VISIBILITY. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION FROM THE OPERATOR. HIS INSTRUCTOR DID NOT INDICATE HE WAS AWARE OF THE INTENDED FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS BOOKED FROM THE OPERATOR. SEVERAL PEOPLE SPOKE TO THE PILOT PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE AND NOTED NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT HIM.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,259 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Topflight INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Baton Rouge LA at 7:06 pm
- Destination: MCB Mccomb MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.