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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

April 14, 1985 · Cessna 320B · N3RU

Athens, LA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 14, 1985
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Athens, LA
Aircraft
Cessna 320B
Tail Number
N3RU
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
FTW85FA181

THE ACFT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLT PLAN. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING. HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE AREA OF WEATHER THAT WAS AT THE ACFT'S TWELVE O'CLOCK POSITION FOUR MILES IN FRONT. THE AREA WAS THIRTY MILES SOUTHWEST AND TWENTY MILES WIDE. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD A SLIGHTLY HOT ENGINE RIDES OR ONE WAS A LITTLE ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED TO SHREVEPORT, GIVEN VECTORS ANS DESCENDED. ALL RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT ABOUT 4000 FEET. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED ON EITHER ENGINE. NO KNOWN MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH ACFT. TAIL LIGHT BULB FILAMENT SHOWED NO DIRECT CURRENT BEING APPLIED AT IMPACT. POSSIBILITY OF INFLIGHT LOSS OF DC POWER CAUSING PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT DURING DARK NIGHT AND TURBULENT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT ALLOWED TO IMPACT SURFACE IN NEAR PAST VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. POSSIBLE INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF CRASH BAR LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL. POSSIBLE PASSENGER MOTION SICKNESS

Full Narrative

THE ACFT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLT PLAN. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A PRE TAKEOFF WEATHER BRIEFING. HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE AREA OF WEATHER THAT WAS AT THE ACFT'S TWELVE O'CLOCK POSITION FOUR MILES IN FRONT. THE AREA WAS THIRTY MILES SOUTHWEST AND TWENTY MILES WIDE. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD A SLIGHTLY HOT ENGINE RIDES OR ONE WAS A LITTLE ROUGH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED TO SHREVEPORT, GIVEN VECTORS ANS DESCENDED. ALL RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT ABOUT 4000 FEET. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED ON EITHER ENGINE. NO KNOWN MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH ACFT. TAIL LIGHT BULB FILAMENT SHOWED NO DIRECT CURRENT BEING APPLIED AT IMPACT. POSSIBILITY OF INFLIGHT LOSS OF DC POWER CAUSING PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT DURING DARK NIGHT AND TURBULENT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT ALLOWED TO IMPACT SURFACE IN NEAR PAST VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. POSSIBLE INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF CRASH BAR LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL. POSSIBLE PASSENGER MOTION SICKNESS

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:40 CST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 320B
Tail NumberN3RU
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · TSIO-470-C · Reciprocating · 260
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 43 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsUnknown
LightDark Night
WindCalm
Visibility12 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time00:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data