Cessna A185F accident near Marksville, Louisiana, June 24, 1989
On June 24, 1989 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N5486R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marksville, Louisiana (Pvt Strip airport). It was a personal 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP AND A SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1989 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marksville, Louisiana · Pvt Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5486R · registry record · serial 18503039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DRG THE LANDING, THE ACFT STARTED DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT & HE APPLIED LEFT BRAKE WITHOUT GETTING A RESPONSE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED, BUT THE FAILURE APPEARED TO BE FROM OVERSTRESS WHICH OCCURRED DRG THE GEAR COLLAPSE.
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: 1,900 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,725 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1988; 343 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26LA Winnsboro LA
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.