Piper PA-32-300 accident near Rayville, Louisiana, March 1, 1998
On March 1, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4GQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rayville, Louisiana (John H. Hooks Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswinds. Factors were the gusting crosswinds and the pilot's lack of experience in gusting crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rayville, Louisiana · John H. Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4GQ · no longer on the register · serial 32-7340041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing flare/touchdown, the airplane was configured for the gusting wind; however, during the landing roll, the wind 'gust let up and the airplane departed the paved runway to the left side. The turf was soggy and wet and the airplane went into a ditch paralleling the runway, collapsing the nose gear before the airplane stopped.' The pilot obtained weather briefings and was aware of the crosswind conditions at the destination airport. During the landing, there was a direct crosswind from the left with the winds at 10 to 15 knots gusting at 20 to 25 knots. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by landing at an alternate airport in order to land more directly into the wind. The pilot further stated that he is taking flight 'lessons in a tail dragger (tailwheel aircraft) in order to gain more experience of managing an aircraft in cross wind conditions.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 556 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 529 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 1997; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACT Waco TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: M79
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,699 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.