Mena Intermountain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mena, Arkansas 71953
Tuesady, November 11, 2008 14:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was en-route to a business engagement and was flying in an area of deteriorating weather conditions. The airplane impacted a mountain ridge in instrument meteorological conditions and was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. A witness, located approximately one mile north of the accident site, heard the sounds of impact and described “very foggy” conditions with a visibility of 50 feet. Another witness driving along the highway on the mountain ridge was in “dense fog” with visibility of 1/4 mile. The witness saw the wreckage on the side of the highway with the airplane fully involved in fire. The witness said the pilot was unbelted and almost completely outside the airplane. Because of the flames the witness said he was unable to get close enough to move the pilot. An examination of the airframe and engine showed no evidence of a preexisting anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. The report of the medical examiner noted the pilot’s cause of death as “Hypertensive Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.” The pilot apparently died of a pre-existing natural disease during his attempt to extricate himself from the wreckage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Mena
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71953
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344010N
Event Location Longitude 0941905W
Event Location Airport Mena Intermountain
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MEZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1080
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1400 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID MEZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1080
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Initial responding Law Enforcement on-scene report
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26733
NTSB Notification Source SW Regional Operations Center,
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 16 2010 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2526V
NTSB Number CEN09LA054
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 177RG0603
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
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 Mar 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 185
Airframe Hours 3676
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Jerry L. Smith
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Willow Springs
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65793
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Jerry L. Smith
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Willow Springs
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 65793
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1H5
Departure City Willlow Springs
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAT
Destination City San Antonio
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2010 11:13AM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --