West Memphis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Memphis, Arkansas 72301
Saturday, October 8, 1988 22:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS ON THE DESIGNATED FREQUENCIES DURING A NIGHT PERSONAL FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITHOUT THE AID OF THE RUNWAY LIGHTS, AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FAR END OF THE RUNWAY SUBSEQUENTLY RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED DECLARING THE AIRPORT UNUSABLE DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS, DUE TO THE AIRPORT'S INSTALLATION OF NEW RUNWAY LIGHTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/8/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2210
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WEST MEMPHIS
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72301
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEST MEMPHIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AWM
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 212
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1094
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37141
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N734BK
NTSB Number MKC89LA003
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17268724
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 31 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 1178
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEST MEMPHIS AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2449
Aircraft Owner City WEST MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST MEMPHIS AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 2449
Operator City WEST MEMPHIS
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72301
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 MEM
Departure City MEMPHIS
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
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 Landing
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 17
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --