Cessna 182P accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, February 17, 1996
On February 17, 1996, a Cessna 182P, registered N9901M, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a personal 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 pilot not following procedures and directives in that he did not periodically clear the engine during an extended glide. The factors were carburetor icing weather conditions and lack of suitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1996
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9901M · no longer on the register · serial 18264797
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a gliding approach to land from 3,500 feet MSL with the power set at 1500 to 1700 RPM and the carburetor heat on. The pilot reported to the investigator-in-charge that while descending through the first 3,000 feet that he did not clear the engine. The pilot recounted that the RPM began 'falling off', and when he increased the throttle, the RPM did not rise. The pilot performed a forced landing, but due to 'dusky conditions and slight haze', the pilot did not see a levee wall which the right wing impacted while in the landing flare. There was a temperature inversion at the time of the accident, with ground level humidity of 22% and a humidity of 49% at 5,000 feet. The FAA Flight Training Handbook states in the section under 'Descents (Maximum Distance Glides)' that during 'power-off descents, the engine should be cleared periodically to prevent excessive cooling and fouling.' The engine was test run on the airframe. According to the manufacturer, who performed the test run, the engine 'startup was immediate, and the engine ran smoothly.'
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: 369 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 1996; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWS Houston TX at 9:45 pm
- Destination: NEW LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 350° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from NEW, 1 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.