Gaston's Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeview, Arkansas 72642
Saturday, June 1, 1991 16:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE MADE ONE PASS OVER THE PRIVATE STRIP WHERE IT WAS TO LAND AND THEN ENTERED WHAT WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS A MODIFIED LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN. ON EXTENDED BASE, ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK HIGH TENSION LINES AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL. AT THE TIME OF THE WIRE STRIKE, THE PILOT WAS FLYING DOWN A RIVER. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND VERTICALLY AND AN INTENSE POST-CRASH FIRE ERUPTED SHORTLY AFTER IMPACT. THERE WERE FOUR AIRPORTS WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS OF THE POWER LINE, AND THE LINES WERE NOT MARKED. THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCAL AREA AND THE LANDING STRIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER VISUAL APPROACH, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT FOR OBSTRUCTIONS. FACTORS WERE THE UNMARKED POWER LINES

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1655
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LAKEVIEW
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72642
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GASTON'S
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 944
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44988
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N324CB
NTSB Number FTW91FA088
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-1104
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 21 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 78
Airframe Hours 2076
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOUND-CRAFT SYSTEMS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 3, BOX 319
Operator City MORRILTON
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72110
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HOT
Departure City HOT SPRINGS
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --