Beech B35-C33A accident near Le Compte, Louisiana, April 10, 1990
On April 10, 1990 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Beech B35-C33A, registered N7968M, was destroyed in an accident near Le Compte, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PRE-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEF AND HIS INADEQUATE EVALUTION OF EXISTING WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1990 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Le Compte, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B35-C33A · all B35-C33As on the register
- Registration
- N7968M · no longer on the register · serial CE-99
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF. HE DEPARTED UNDER VMC BUT ENCOUNTERED, AND WAS IN THE VICINITY OF AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, INTENSE LEVEL 5 THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORMS CONTAINED HEAVY RAIN AND MODERATE TO SEVERE, AND POSSIBLY EXTREME, TURBULENCE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE EMBEDDED IN CLOUDS LAYERED TO ABOUT 10,000 FEET. EXISTING WEATHER FORECASTS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT AND THERE WAS ADEQUATE WARNING OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. IMPACT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES NOSE DOWN IN A MUDDY FIELD. THE ENGINE WAS RECOVERED FROM A CRATER 20 FEET DEEP. ALL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE IN OR AROUND THE IMPACT CRATER. THE PILOT HAD DELAYED HIS DEPARTURE FOR TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD JURY DUTY IN THE VICINITY OF HIS DESTINATION ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 2,432 hours in all; 857 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,167 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 4:58 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from ESF, 16 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.