Piper PA-28-235 accident near New Orleans, Louisiana, April 3, 1998
On April 3, 1998 at about 4:32 am local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N21LL, was destroyed in an accident near New Orleans, Louisiana (Lakefront Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane after experiencing spatial disorientation. Factors were the total failure of the vacuum pump, fog, drizzle, and night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1998 · about 4:32 am local time
- Place
- New Orleans, Louisiana · Lakefront Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N21LL · no longer on the register · serial 28-11235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a lake following an uncontrolled descent after the pilot experienced spatial disorientation at night. The pilot was an instrument approach to runway 18R when he reported to air traffic control that he had a 'full failure;'. One minute later he reported a 'static failure,' and shortly afterwards he stated that the 'DG' was out of order. Air traffic control then lost radio and radar contact with the airplane. The controller who was tracking the airplane stated that it appeared as if the airplane was 'going around in circles,' just before it disappeared from the radar scope. A survivor was rescued from the lake the following morning and reported that the pilot tapped on the instrument 'with the blue horizon' and stated that 'this instrument is not working.' A post-accident examination of the vacuum pump, by the NTSB Materials Laboratory, revealed that the vacuum pump failed in-flight. Post accident examination of the electrically driven turn coordinator did not produce sufficient evidence to determine whether or not it was functioning at impact.
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: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,503 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 4, 1998; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTO Denton TX at 11:55 pm
- Destination: NEW Lakefront LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18R, 6,879 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from NEW, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.