Adams Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Little Rock, Arkansas 72202
Friday, January 19, 1990 17:09 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG ARRIVAL, HVY RAIN SHOWERS WERE RPRTD WEST OF ARPT. AT THE ARPT, THE WX WAS ABT 200' OBSCD WITH FOG & DRIZZLE, WND WAS EASTERLY AT 5 TO 7 KTS. THE PLTS INTENDED TO LND ON RWY 22, BUT AFTER BEING TOLD THE WND WAS GSTG TO 27 KTS, THEY ELECTED TO LND ON RWY 4. THE ACTUAL WND WAS NOT GSTY. THE ERRONEOUS GST INDCN WAS FM A MALFUNCTION OF THE LLWAS. ON FINAL APCH FOR AN ILS RWY 4 APCH, THE FLT WAS ADZD THE WND WAS FM 030 DEG AT 5 KTS & THE RVR WAS 1800 FT. MIN RVR FOR THE APCH WAS 2400'. THE CREW ACKNOWLEDGED; 22 SEC LTR, THE ELT ACTVTD AS THE ACFT TOUCHED DWN 1600' SHRT OF RWY 4 & HIT APCH LGTG SYS, RAILROAD TRACKS & A FENCE. INV REVEALED THE ACFT DSCNDD THRU WINDSHEAR. WHILE MNVRG ONTO FINAL APCH; GND SPD VARIED BTN 320 & 190 KTS AS ACFT WAS MNVRD THRU TAILWIND TO HEADWIND NR FAF. CVR DATA VERIFIED A DELAY IN DSCNT FM 4000' TO 1900' BFR RCHG FAF & THAT THE GEAR WARNING HORN SOUNDED BFR EXTN OF GEAR & SPD BRAKES. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOW ENG RPM DRG IMPACT, BUT NO PREIMPACT MECH PRBLM WAS FND. EACH PLT HAD OVER 10,000 HRS OF FLT TIME, BUT ONLY ABT 160 HRS EACH IN JET ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO FOLLOW IFR PROCEDURES (MAINTAIN AN ILS GLIDE PATH OR INITIATE A MISSED APPROACH) DURING AN IFR ARRIVAL TO THE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AN ERRONEOUS WIND INDICATION FROM THE LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR ALERT SYSTEM (LLWAS), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INACCURATE WEATHER (WIND) OBSERVATION, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO TAKE ADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1709
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LITTLE ROCK
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72202
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ADAMS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LIT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 258
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1715 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 258
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 730
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 7
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39465
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N46TE
NTSB Number MKC90MA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G1159
Aircraft Series Identifier G1159
Aircraft Serial Number 0243
Certified Max Gross Weight 65600
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jan 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 5812
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TENNESSEE EASTMAN KODAK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 343 STATE STREET
Aircraft Owner City ROCHESTER
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14650
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TENNESSEE EASTMAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 343 STATE STREET
Operator City ROCHESTER
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14650
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GGG
Departure City LONGVIEW
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LIT
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 7173
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --