Piper PA28-181 accident near Olla, Louisiana, December 16, 1990
On December 16, 1990 at about 4:23 am local time, a Piper PA28-181, registered N8460Q, was destroyed in an accident near Olla, 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 COLLAPSED CARBURETOR FLOAT AND RESTRICTED MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL METERING NEEDLE. FACTORS WERE THE DARKNIGHT, THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, AND THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL FAILURE TO INSPECT (REPAIR) THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1990 · about 4:23 am local time
- Place
- Olla, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-181 · all PA28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8460Q · no longer on the register · serial 28-8290056
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER (MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION) DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB OUT FROM THE AIRPORT AT NIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE SURGING AS IT PASSED OVER OR NEAR THEIR LOCATIONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND. IT COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES AS IT DESCENDED THEN IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT ONE SIDE OF THE FLOATS WAS COLLASPED AND THE 'U' ARM WAS DISTORTED WHICH INTERMITTENTLY RESTRICTED THE MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL METERING NEEDLE. THE PILOT WHO RENTED THIS AIRPLANE JUST PRIOR TO THIS PILOT REPORTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE ON TAKEOFF. THE OPERATOR WAS NOTIFIED. NO RECORD OF ANY CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTION COULD BE LOCATED WHERE THE AIRLANE WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE.
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: 122 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 84 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,532 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 26, 1990; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tillman Aero
The flight
- Destination: BTR Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from AEX, 30 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.