Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Des Arc, Arkansas 72040
Sunday, June 1, 1986 15:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

NUMEROUS WITNESSES ON A SANDBAR IN THE WHITE RIVER OBSERVED THIS COLLISION OF TWO AIRPLANES AS THEY WERE FLYING CLOSE TOGETHER, LOW, OVER THE RIVER. OF THE NINE WITNESS STATEMENTS RECEIVED, FIVE HAD THE PIPER PA-28-140 HITTING THE CESSNA 140, THREE HAD THE CESSNA 140 HITTING THE PIPER PA-28-140 AND ONE HAD THEM DRIFTING TOGETHER. THE PEOPLE IN THE AIRPLANES WERE WAVING TO THE PEOPLE ON THE SANDBAR WHEN THE AIRPLANES COLLIDED. BOTH AIRPLANES IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ABOVE THE RIVER BANK. THE PIPER PA-28-140 BURNED AFTER IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DES ARC
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72040
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID LIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 258
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 629
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1824
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31001
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2005 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N89247 N4254J
NTSB Number MKC86FA123A MKC86FA123B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None Ground
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA PIPER
Aircraft Model 140 PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140 PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 8267 28-22611
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450 2050
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Annual
Date of Last Inspection -- Feb 18 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- 8
Airframe Hours -- 1600
ELT Installed Yes Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
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 RALPH W. FULMER CHARLES M. JOHNSON
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address RT. 1, BOX 188-4 RT. 219 EVERGREEN RD.
Operator City LONOKE CABOT
Operator State AR AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72086 72023
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CABOT CABOT
Departure State AR AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1535 1535
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City BRINKLEY
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM May 25 2005 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --