Promise Land Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midway, Arkansas 72651
Friday, November 5, 1999 17:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane encountered a downdraft while on final approach and contacted trees. According to the pilot, the airplane was at 25 feet agl, crossing a road and trees, at the approach end of runway 18, when he 'felt a rapid sink of the aircraft.' The pilot 'applied full throttle and attempted to lower the nose of the aircraft, but within what seemed like a couple of seconds' the airplane's left wing contacted trees. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest upright. The pilot stated that he attributed the loss of altitude to a 'downdraft.' Another pilot, who flew the same approach 5 minutes prior to the accident airplane, reported that his aircraft experienced a 20 mph loss of airspeed while on final approach. That pilot added that he attributed the loss of airspeed to a 'downdraft.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inability of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane as a result of a downdraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/5/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MIDWAY
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72651
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PROMISE LAND AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 910
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BPK
Elevation of weather observation facility 928
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1124
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1181
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 5 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N698N
NTSB Number FTW00LA026
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Waco
Aircraft Model KNF
Aircraft Series Identifier KNF
Aircraft Serial Number 3246
Certified Max Gross Weight 1938
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 132
Airframe Hours 1237
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GALEN W. HUTCHESON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17 MEADOW PARK LANE
Aircraft Owner City HARRISON
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --