Piper PA-18-150 accident near Grand Chenier, Louisiana, August 30, 1989
On August 30, 1989 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4423Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Chenier, Louisiana. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- August 30, 1989 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Chenier, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4423Z · registry record · serial 18-8759
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON AUGUST 30, 1989, AT 1225 CDT, A PIPER PA-18-150, N4423Z,BEING OPERATED BY AND CONDUCTING AN AERIAL SURVEY FORLOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES COMMISSION AS A PUBLICAIRCRAFT, FLIPPED FORWARD TO THE INVERTED POSITION DURING AFORCED LANDING 15 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF GRAND CHENIER,LOUISIANA, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. VISUALMETEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN HADNOT BEEN FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, BUTNEITHER THE PRIVATE PILOT OR HIS PASSENGER WERE INJURED.THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE NUNEZ, LOUISIANA, AIRSTRIP (L12)ON AUGUST 30, 1989, AT 1210 CDT, FOR THIS LOCAL 14 CFR PART91 FLIGHT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 960 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,542 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 1989; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LA12 Grand Chenier LA at 5:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.