Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watson, Arkansas 71674
Sunday, April 17, 1994 18:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS FLYING LOW LEVEL BETWEEN TWO SPANS OF AN OPEN RAILROAD TRESTLE WHICH SPANNED THE ARKANSAS RIVER WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH WIRES MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE TRESTLE. THE WIRE STRIKE RESULTED IN THE SEVERING OF THE RIGHT AILERON CABLE AND AN ENSUING LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LEADING, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, AND BURNED. THIS WAS A FLIGHT OF TWO AIR COMBAT DEMONSTRATION PILOTS REPOSITIONING TO THEIR HOME BASE. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS NUMBER TWO. NUMEROUS WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANES FLYING AT 50 TO 200 FEET AGL, CHASING EACH OTHER WITH LITTLE SEPARATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM WIRES DURING LOW LEVEL FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A SEVERED AILERON CABLE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE DURING THE FLIGHT AND HIS INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING THE WIRE STRIKE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WATSON
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71674
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 303
Weather Observation Facility ID PBF
Elevation of weather observation facility 206
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 48
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 518
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14FD
NTSB Number FTW94FA123
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIAI-Marchetti
Aircraft Model F.260C
Aircraft Series Identifier F.260C
Aircraft Serial Number 235
Certified Max Gross Weight 2430
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 25 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 303
Airframe Hours 4982
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BLACKSTONE, MIKE E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 230 N. DALE PLACE
Aircraft Owner City FULLERTON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92631
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SHV
Departure City SHREVEPORT
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1747
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AWM
Destination City WEST MEMPHIS
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --