Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Redfield, Arkansas 72132
Sunday, October 16, 1983 14:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT APRX 1331 CDT, THE PLT ENTERED THE PINE BLUFF FSS STATION & REQUESTED A BRIEFING FOR A VFR FLT TO SPRINGFIELD, MO. HE WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE PLT RETURNED AGAIN BETWEEN 1335 & 1350 & WAS SEEN EXAMINING THE WX CHARTS. AT APRX 1420, HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT FILING A FLT PLAN & REMAINED BELOW THE CLOUDS DURING DEPARTURE. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ACFT WAS SEEN FLYING UP THE ARKANSAS RIVER AT LOW ALTITUDE WHERE POWER LINES CROSSED THE RIVER. THE PLT PULLED UP TO CLEAR THE POWER LINES. REPORTEDLY, HE PULLED UP, STALLED, THEN RECOVERED & TURNED AWAY FROM THE RIVER. MOMENTS LATER, IT RETURNED HEADING DOWN RIVER BACK TOWARD THE POWER LINES. REPORTEDLY, IT STALLED AGAIN, IMPACTED THE WATER & SANK. ALL 3 OCCUPANTS DROWNED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE NOT USING THEIR SEAT BELTS & SHOULDER HARNESSES & BOTH HAD RECEIVED TEMPORAL & FACIAL LACERATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City REDFIELD
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72132
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID PBF
Elevation of weather observation facility 206
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3077
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24128
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N321HR
NTSB Number FTW84FA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17264440
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 Jul 28 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1714
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CIRCLE H AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 32
Aircraft Owner City HAMBURG
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71646
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PBF
Departure City PINE BLUFF
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SPRINGFIELD
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --