Piper PA-22 accident near New Roads, Louisiana, December 7, 1991
On December 7, 1991 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N3746A, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Roads, Louisiana (False River Air Park airport). 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 STUDENT PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE RESULTANT GROUND LOOP. FACTORS WERE THE CFI'S LACK OF SUPERVISION AND THE DITCH ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1991 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Roads, Louisiana · False River Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N3746A · registry record · serial 22-1989
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING THE STUDENT PILOT DEVELOPED A LEFT DRIFT WHICH EVOLVED INTO A GROUND LOOP. THE TAILWHEEL IMPACTED A DRAINAGE DITCH AND MUDDY TERRAIN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS, THE INSTRUCTOR HAD FLOWN FROM THE LEFT SEAT BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE BRAKE PEDALS INSTALLED FOR THE RIGHT SEAT. DUE TO DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY BY THE STUDENT, THE CFI HAD ELECTED TO OCCUPY THE RIGHT SEAT DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,213 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 4,834 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,999 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.