Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marianna, Arkansas 72360
Tuesady, March 12, 2002 18:55 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Approximately 43 minutes after departure on a cross-country flight, the airplane was substantially damaged while maneuvering when it failed to maintain clearance with terrain in a heavily wooded area about 1 1/2 miles west of the Mississippi River. The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. The pilot contacted the Jonesboro Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and requested an en route weather briefing, initially commenting, "Gonna head over to Tunica, VFR. I'll be skuddin it, it looks like." The specialist advised the pilot that there weren't any Airmets across the route of flight, there was nothing on radar, high pressure was building from the west, and that to the east, the area was still under the influence of a low pressure system. The specialist also reported that Memphis, located 42 nautical miles northeast and the closest weather reporting point to the accident site, was reporting broken clouds at 1,100 feet, but had just dropped down to a ceiling of 900 feet broken, 1,400 feet overcast, 2 1/2 miles visibility, and ceiling variable between about 700 feet and 1,100 feet. A Senior NTSB meteorologist reported that the lower atmosphere in the Memphis area was nearly saturated, and that the Memphis cloud ceiling gradually lowered after the pilot obtained his en route weather briefing. The 1853 Memphis observation reported a variable ceiling between 400 and 1,100 feet, light drizzle, and mist. The meteorologist also reported that it was likely that encountered instrument meteorological conditions just prior to the accident, which were similar to the conditions being reported in the Memphis area.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions and his failure to maintain clearance with terrain while maneuvering. Factors were, the low cloud and mist weather conditions, and the dark night light conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/12/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1855
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Marianna
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72360
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344214N
Event Location Longitude 0903556W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 341
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) -208
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13474
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2003 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84719
NTSB Number FTW02FA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8231014
Certified Max Gross Weight 2451
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 1780
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Walter K. Marion
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9818 Palamino Drive
Aircraft Owner City Rogers
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72758
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Timothy R. Morris
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1904 West Magnolia Street
Operator City Rogers
Operator State AR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 72758
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 LIT
Departure City Little Rock
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1812
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M97
Destination City Tunica
Destination State MS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 11 2003 12:06PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --