Cessna 152 accident near Hayes, Louisiana, August 9, 1998
On August 9, 1998 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69269, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayes, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The forced landing for undetermined reasons. A factor was no suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1998 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hayes, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N69269 · no longer on the register · serial 15282593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single reciprocating engine airplane impacted terrain while maneuvering. Witnesses reported that they observed the aircraft flying over head for about one hour and appeared to be taking aerial photographs of an oil rig in the area. Subsequently they observed the aircraft 'flying extremely close to the ground, as if the pilot was looking for a place to land.' The aircraft then 'hit a dirt levee' and flipped inverted. One of the witnesses thought that the aircraft was having engine problems. During wreckage examination, no anomalies were discovered that would have contributed to the accident. The flaps were found in the '10 degree down' position. The engine was successfully operated for 10 minutes during a test in which it was run up to 2,400 rpm. The reason for the forced landing could not be determined. The pilot's injuries have precluded him from recalling or making a statement about the accident. The private [non-instrument] pilot had a total of 1,734 hours of flight time in the accident aircraft.
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: 1,734 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1998; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCH Lake Charles LA at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from LCH, 13 miles away
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.