N984RACessna 172R · 1997

On August 27, 2016, about 2015 central daylight time, a Cessna 172R airplane, N984RA, impacted the waters Lake Pontchartrain during a visual approach to the Lakefront Airport (NEW), New Orleans, Louisiana. The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; a second passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Christiansen Aviation, Inc., and operated by Flight Academy of New Orleans, doing business as New Orleans Aerial Air Tours, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local sightseeing tour flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the airplane was not on a flight plan, which departed NEW at 1930.

According to the operator, one of the passengers purchased tickets for a 45-minute tour flight for two people, which was scheduled for a 1930 departure.

The surviving passenger reported that she and the other passenger were in the rear seats, with pilot in the left front seat, and that everything on the flight appeared normal. At the end of the flight as they neared the airport, it started to rain. She could not see much out of the windshield; however, the pilot pointed out four red lights ahead of the airplane and stated that that was the airport. She added that the pilot was "straining" to look above the dash and outside the windshield. Looking out the side window, she could see water below and stated that the airplane was "4 to 6 feet" above the water.

Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted water about 1/2 mile from runway 09. The passenger stated in the post-crash interview, that it was still raining when she got to the water's surface. She added that the airplane's engine was running during the time leading up to the impact with water.

A review of radar data revealed the airplane's flight path above and around the city. A review of the airplane's radar track as it approached the airport, showed the airplane was at 900 ft above ground level (agl) about 3.6 miles from the runway. The airplane continued its descent as it approached the airport. The last radar return showed the airplane about 0.6 nautical mile from the airport at an altitude of 100 ft agl. An overlay of the airplane's radar track correlated with weather data revealed that the airplane entered an area of rain showers, as it approached the airport.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land and instrument airplane.He also held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine sea.He held a first-class Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate that was issued on May 11, 2016, with the limitation: must wear corrective lenses. At the time of the exam, the pilot reported 9,941 total flight hours with 170 hours in the previous six months.

At 2000, the automated weather observation station (AWOS) located at NEW recorded wind from 120°at 5 knots, 5 miles visibility in light rain, scattered clouds at 2,200 ft, broken clouds at 3,800 ft, an overcast sky at 7,500 ft, temperature of 82°F, dew point 77°F, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury.Distant lightning was noted to the west and northwest.

At 2023, the NEW AWOS recorded wind from 150° at 8 knots, 10 miles visibility, broken clouds at 2,200 ft, an overcast sky at 6,500 ft, temperature of 82°F, dew point 75°F, and an altimeter setting of 29.97 inches of mercury. Lightning was noted to the west and northwest.

New Orleans International Airport (MSY), located about 12 miles west of NEW, recorded the following weather conditions at 1953 CDT:wind calm, visibility 8 miles in thunderstorms and light rain, a few cumulonimbus clouds at 3,300 ft agl, scattered clouds at 7,500 ft, scattered clouds at 15,000 ft, ceiling broken at 25,000 ft, temperature 80°F, dew point 75°F, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury.

Observation remarks included that rain ended at 1917 and began again at 1929; thunderstorm ended at 1921 and began again at 1941; frequent lightning in-cloud and cloud-to-cloud north; occasional lightning in-cloud and cloud-to-cloud distant west through northwest; thunderstorm north moving west; cumulonimbus cloud distant west through northwest.

Astronomical Conditions

According to information from the United States Naval Observatory, at the time of the accident, both the sun and the moon were more than 15° below the horizon.

Sunset occurred at 1928 and the end of civil twilight occurred at 1952.

The airplane impacted the waters of Lake Pontchartrain short of runway 09 at NEW. The airplane and occupants were recovered about 3 days later and transported to the shore by barge. The airplane recovery crew performed a flight control continuity check with no anomalies noted.The airplane was disassembled and transported to a secure facility for further examination. An examination was conducted on September 15, 2016, by the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, and technical representatives from the engine and airframe manufacturers.

The airplane's forward fuselage and left wing exhibited impact damage. The nose landing gear was pushed aft. Engine damage due to water submersion prevented functional testing of the engine and components; however, the examination did not reveal any abnormalities with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation.

The New Orleans Forensic Center, Orleans Parish Coroner's Office, New Orleans, Louisiana conducted an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was determined to be, "asphyxia due to drowning."

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicological testing on the pilot. The specimens were not tested for carbon monoxide and cyanide. The test detected ethanol at 0.103 mg/dL in liver and 0.087 mg/dL in muscle. N-propanol, a product of postmortem bacterial action, was also found in liver and muscle. In addition, clomipramine and its metabolite n-desmethylclomipramine were identified in liver and muscle.

Ethanol is the intoxicant commonly found in beer, wine, and liquor. After ingestion, at low doses, it impairs judgment, psychomotor functioning, and vigilance; at higher doses, it can cause coma and death. Ethanol may also be produced in body tissues by microbial activity after death.

Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant used to treat symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It does not carry a warning about operating vehicle or machinery and is not considered directly impairing.