Lake Pontchartrain- Coast Guard searching for a Cessna.

Jdm

Jdm

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Jdm
Not a lot of information. Flight school airplane. Lost contact 4 mi north of KNEW over the Pontchartrain. Search in progress.
 
Oof. I remember flying over that lake and thinking that was the last place I wanted to go down.
 
Used to live just a few miles away near the SE shore. I’ve flown over that lake countless times. Not many options.
 
Jdm said:
Used to live just a few miles away near the SE shore. I’ve flown over that lake countless times. Not many options.
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Especially going in/ out of NEW. It's big, and you're low. There's probably not as many alligators in it as i imagined, but i still didn't want any part of it. It had whitecaps on it the days i was flying over.
 
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Jim K said:
Especially going in/ out of NEW. It's big, and you're low. There's probably not as many alligators in it as i imagined, but i still didn't want any part of it. It had whitecaps on it the days i was flying over.
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There’s lots!!! Mostly near the shore and marsh areas though. It’s brackish waters, which attracts a bit of everything. The problem is the bottom. It’s composed of black gumbo mud. Everything sticks and sinks down once it makes contact with the gumbo. There’s still half of a DC-8 stuck in the Pontchartrain from the 1964 EAL crash.
 
That's too much like the Lake Erie "black hole" flying out of BKL, which has claimed several planes, including biz jets.
I'd fly only IFR at night, I think.
As of 5:30 EST Tuesday as I write this, no mention of finding anything.
 
News is now reporting that they found debris on the water from what appears to be the Cessna.
 
1978 C-172N

SPECI KNEW 250039Z 13011KT 10SM BKN008 22/21 A2999 RMK AO1 T02220211
 
“Preliminary information and ADS-B data indicates the aircraft was being diverted to KNEW, but it came down about 4 miles north of the airport after entering a left hand spiral.”

looks like LOC.
 
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From what I know of the aircraft and my interpretation of the flight track. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N80FP

The aircraft is based out of GPT and is a trainer.

The flight has the appearances that they were doing an IFR training flight from GPT to NEW and back, that is what showed filed.

The aircraft appeared to be vectored to an approach to one of the Runway 18R. However while inbound on the approach its airspeed drops dramatically and quickly and begins descending. They went from about 80 knots to 55 knots and stayed there while descending, which I'm guessing was approximately best glide speed. There even appears to be a slight turn to the SE at that time, turning towards the nearest shore line.

My early speculation, they lost engine power on the approach.
 

Owner of the flight school was Interviewed by news media this afternoon. Instructor and student were onboard. Aircraft was heavily damaged.
 
There should be a transcript available from MSY Appr or NEW Twr. It sure does present as a likely engine issue.

edit- According to the school's owner, based on the debris found, the impact was assumed to be 'violent'. That does not sound like a controlled descent after engine failure, even with fixed gear grabbling the water at impact. Sucks...
 
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Said it was thoroughly destroyed? Ditching a 172 shouldn’t tear it apart.
LOC or instrument failure?
 
bonefishpete said:
Said it was thoroughly destroyed? Ditching a 172 shouldn’t tear it apart.
LOC or instrument failure?
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It doesn’t sound like a planned ditching. LOC into the Pontchartrain would easily tear it apart. The lake is known for rough waters even with light winds. It’s shallow. That and the brackish water tend to make larger wake.
 
800 ft ceiling (broken but still a bit low for training) in a 172 at night and a young cfi. I dont like it. Very tragic. May both rest in peace.
 
Didn't flight school owner say the student was training for his commercial?
 
Jdm said:
Used to live just a few miles away near the SE shore. I’ve flown over that lake countless times. Not many options.
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Well, options in any direction, they're just all water.
 
Looks like the Cajun Navy just found the wreckage..They’re diving now in hopes of retrieving the bodies.

Racerx said:
Didn't flight school owner say the student was training for his commercial?
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Seems like I remember him saying the student was working toward that and needed another 50 hrs. I was under the impression that this was an instrument training flight.
 
Used to instruct there and have flown that plane many times :frown3:
 
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