Amateur-built DH-82A accident near Youngsville, Louisiana, July 22, 1990
On July 22, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built DH-82A, registered N5984, was destroyed in an accident near Youngsville, Louisiana (Sky Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TOUCH DOWN AT THE PROPER POINT ON THE LANDING SURFACE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE LATE INITIATION OF THE ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Youngsville, Louisiana · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DH-82A
- Registration
- N5984 · registry record · serial NM-193-12
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ANTIQUE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF TO THE SOUTH, FLEW FOR 15 MINUTES, AND CAME IN TO LAND ON THE SAME RUNWAY. WITH A 3 MPH TAILWIND, IT TOUCHED DOWN 2/3 TO 3/4 DOWN THE RUNWAY. IT ROLLED A SHORT DISTANCE, THEN WITH FULL POWER APPLIED, IT LIFTED OFF AND CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET AGL, AND WITH THE NOSE HIGH, BUT NOT CLIMBING, IT IMPACTED A POWER POLE AND POWER LINES. ONE WITNESS SAID IT WAS BURNING BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND. AS IT HIT THE TERRAAIN, ON A ROAD, IT WAS HIT BY AN AUTOMOBILE. THE AIRPLANE BURNED. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS BACKED AWAY AND SUFFERED MINOR DAMAGE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,495 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,495 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1990; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,825 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bristol IF (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 33LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LFT, 9 miles away
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.