Cessna 180 accident near Saint Joseph, Louisiana, August 23, 1990
On August 23, 1990 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9491C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Joseph, Louisiana (Tensas Parish airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND HIS USE OF EXCESSIVE BRAKING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1990 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Joseph, Louisiana · Tensas Parish · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9491C · registry record · serial 31889
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING ON RWY 16 WITH THE WIND FROM 230 DEGREES AT ABOUT 9 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS. HE SAID THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, AS THE TAIL CAME DOWN, THE RIGHT WING CAME UP AND THE AIRCRAFT WEATHER-VANED. HE SAID THAT DUE TO EXCESSIVE BRAKING, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK, WITH THE LEFT WING STRIKING FIRST, AND THEN THE NOSE.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER during landing - roll
- NOSE OVER during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 5,280 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,222 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,084 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, August 25, 1989; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 9MZ Newellton LA at 5:00 am
- Destination: L33
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW90LA163.