Cessna 172F accident near Gonzales, Louisiana, December 18, 1997
On December 18, 1997 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N8426U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gonzales, Louisiana (Louisiana Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent stall resulting from the flight instructor's failure to maintain airspeed during his delayed recovery from the bounced landing. Factors were the student's failure to maintain the proper airspeed and the instructor's inadequate supervision during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1997 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gonzales, Louisiana · Louisiana Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8426U · no longer on the register · serial 17252326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the dual instructional flight, on short final for the 4th touch-and-go, the 'nose of the aircraft rotated downward at an altitude of approx[imately] 20-30 feet above [the] runway.' The instructor gave a verbal command to 'pull up - pull up.' However, the main wheels, followed by the nose wheel struck the runway and the aircraft bounced as the flight instructor took control of the aircraft, applied full power, and retracted the flaps. The aircraft veered uncontrollably to the left and impacted the ground. Witnesses reported that the airplane bounced hard, the nose of the airplane pitched high (15 to 20 degrees), the airplane yawed to the left, and then the airplane entered a stall/spin and struck the ground.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,903 hours in all; 272 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 3,717 as pilot in command; 1,831 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: L38 at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from BTR
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.