A 74-year-old pilot survived a Cessna 210 crash near Louisiana Regional Airport in Gonzales, Louisiana, after the aircraft’s engine reportedly separated shortly after takeoff. The single-engine aircraft came down in a field roughly half a mile from the runway on 13 October, less than a minute after departure, and was found inverted. The aircraft was registered to ACW Inc., a Gonzales company owned by Adrian Waguespack.
The engine was located about 100 yards from the wreckage on a nearby road. Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre confirmed that it separated before the aircraft struck the ground. Firefighters found the pilot walking at the scene with a minor head cut; he was assessed by medical personnel but declined ambulance transport.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash. Authorities have not established why the engine separated, and no information has been released on the aircraft’s altitude at the time. Investigators are expected to examine the engine mount, attachment hardware, maintenance records and wreckage to determine whether a mechanical or structural failure occurred. No preliminary investigative finding has been issued.