Folland GNAT T-1 accident near Bossier City, Louisiana, January 10, 1991
On January 10, 1991 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Folland GNAT T-1, registered N3XR, was destroyed in an accident near Bossier City, Louisiana (Shreveport Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS DELAY IN DIVERTING TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND RADIO MALFUNCTION WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1991 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bossier City, Louisiana · Shreveport Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Folland GNAT T-1
- Registration
- N3XR · no longer on the register · serial FL587
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A FLT FROM FLORIDA TO TEXAS, THE PLT MADE AN EN ROUTE STOP AT PANAMA CITY, FL & REFUELED. AT 1043 CST, HE DEPD PANAMA CITY & PROCEEDED ON AN IFR FLT AT FLT LEVEL 310 TO DALLAS, TX. AT 1227 CST (AFTER MAKING A WX CHECK), HE CHANGED HIS DESTN & WAS CLEARED TO PROCEED DIRECT TO SHREVEPORT, LA. THE LAST TRANSMISSION FROM THE ACFT WAS AT 1134:50. WHEN HE WAS CLRD TO DSCND TO FL 24O AT 1139, NO RADIO REPLY WAS RCVD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT DSCNDD & MADE AN APCH TO RWY 14 AT THE SHREVEPORT RGNL ARPT. TOWER PSNL RPRTD THAT AFTER FLYING BY THE TOWER OR MAKING A MISSED APCH, RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT TREES & CRASHED AFTER BEING AIRBORNE ABOUT 1.8 HRS. IT HAD BEGUN THE FLT WITH AN ESTIMATED 1.5 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD. NO FUEL WAS FOUND TRAPPED IN THE LINES OR FILTER & NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL SPILL WAS FOUND, THOUGH THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,885 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Bristol SIDLEY 701 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL at 4:43 pm
- Destination: FTW Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 8,351 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded at 300 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:50 pm from SHV, 20 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.