Fort Smith Muni. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Smith, Arkansas 72902
Friday, September 2, 1983 21:01 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED LAREDO, TX, ON A FLT TO FT SMITH, AR, WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP AT BRINKLEY, AR. THE FUEL TANKS WERE 'TOPPED' AT LAREDO, BUT NO FUEL WAS ADDED AT BRINKLEY. DURING ARRIVAL AT FT SMITH, THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY FOR 'EXTREMELY LOW FUEL.' HE WAS CLEARED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH. VERY SHORTLY AFTER THAT, BOTH ENGS BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH WITH BOTH FUEL BOOST PUMP LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE PLT INFORMED THE TOWER THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THE ARPT. HE SELECTED A DARK UNPOPULATED AREA TO LAND & EXTENDED THE GEAR. WHEN HE TURNED ON THE LANDING LIGHTS, HE REALIZE HE HAD SELECTED A WOODED AREA. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED AFTER IMPACTING TREES. THE PLT HAD BEGUN THE 1ST OF 6 FLT AT 0608 CDT & HAD GOTTEN VERY LITTLE SLEEP THE PRECEEDING NIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2101
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FORT SMITH
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72902
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FORT SMITH MUNI.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F&M
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 70
Airport Elevation 468
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2968
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23285
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3594G
NTSB Number FTW83LA413
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8052089
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 15 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1308
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FARRELL COOPER MINING CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6001 ZERO
Aircraft Owner City FORT SMITH
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72902
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M36
Departure City BRINKLEY
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 2010
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --