Piper PA-28-140 accident near Davant, Louisiana, February 25, 1991
On February 25, 1991 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7388J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davant, Louisiana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1991 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Davant, Louisiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7388J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING SLOW FLIGHT TO A LANDING STALL AT 2,500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. DURING THE RECOVERY PHASE, THE STUDENT PILOT INCREASED THE THROTTLE; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING. ON SHORT FINAL TO AN OPEN FIELD, THE AIRPLANE WING CLIPPED A TREE. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,308 hours in all; 279 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 425 as pilot in command; 1,486 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NB6 New Orleans LA at 6:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.