Cessna 210M accident near Leesville, Louisiana, July 31, 1998
On July 31, 1998 at about 2:45 am local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N732PB, was destroyed in an accident near Leesville, Louisiana (Leesville Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to establish a climb during a night go-around. Factors were the lack of visual cues available to the pilot and the dark night illumination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1998 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Leesville, Louisiana · Leesville Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N732PB · no longer on the register · serial 210-61656
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with trees and terrain during a dark night go-around at the pilot's home base airport after the 225-hour non-instrument rated private pilot was advised that he was landing downwind. The accident occurred at the conclusion of a 305-nautical mile cross country flight. No distress calls were received from the pilot prior to the accident. The airplane impacted terrain about a half mile from the departure end of runway 36 in a level flight attitude, with the landing gear and flaps in the retracted position. Other pilots based at the airport reported that due to a large lake to the northeast of the airport and the sparsely populated area, night takeoffs from runway 36 are 'instrument takeoffs' due to the lack of visual references. Examination of the airframe and a teardown examination of the engine and propeller did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal flight operations. The pilot's total flight experience in night operations could not be determined.
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: 225 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,584 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1998; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HRO Harrison AR
- Destination: LA24
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from POE, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.