The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Location: Bossier City, LA
Accident Number: CEN21LA089
Date & Time: December 16, 2020, 04:39 Local
Registration: N55168
Aircraft: Piper PA28 Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On December 16, 2020, at 0439 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N55168, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bossier City, Louisiana.
The student pilot and passenger were fatally injured.
The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.
The flight originated from Shreveport Downtown Airport (DTN), Shreveport, Louisiana, during night, instrument meteorological conditions.
Security video and records show the airport pilot controlled lighting (PCL) was activated at 0412 and an airplane departed Rwy 14 at 0417.
Radar data began tracking the airplane at 0418 with a transponder code of 1200.
The airplane flew an irregular flight path to the east and maneuvered over Barksdale Air Force Base (BAD) for about 20 minutes.
Shreveport (SHV) air traffic control contacted the BAD tower controller and informed him there was traffic squawking 1200 and flying between 500’ and 1000’ near the base.
The BAD tower controller said that he turned up the runway lights at BAD to full brightness and attempted to contact the airplane on the radio but did not receive a reply.
Radar data indicated the airplane’s altitude varied between about 600 and 1800 ft mean sea level during the flight and showed the airplane in a left descending turn before the radar data ended at 0439.
The airplane impacted remote, wooded terrain on BAD property, resulting in separation of the left wing, partial separation of the right wing, and crushing and deformation of the fuselage forward of the empennage.
According to the student pilot’s most recent flight instructor (CFI), he issued the pilot a local traffic pattern solo endorsement on November 21, 2020, with limitations that he was not to fly without first calling the CFI to review weather and NOTAMs.
The CFI said he had explained to the pilot that his solo endorsement did not afford him the right to carry passengers.
The pilot did not contact the CFI prior to the accident flight.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N55168
Model/Series: PA28 180
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held:None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: IMC
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KBAD,166 ft msl
Observation Time: 05:36 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 4°C /2°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots / , 340°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 600 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Shreveport, LA (DTN)
Destination:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: Unknown
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: Unknown
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 32.506187,-93.639911 (est)