What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 21, 2006 approx 10 am, aircraft N2160W, a Beechcraft BE-23-C23 departed Mena Arkansas airport (M39) on 35 runway. The aircraft took off VFR flying north from Mena airport, an uncontrolled field for approx 8 miles to acorn, AR, and turned towards the west, and flew west approximately 10 miles tracking Arkansas highway 270 in the valley created by rich mt and black fork Mt. That morning the tops of these mountains were covered with fog. When the aircraft reached a point between the villages of eagleton and rich mt., AR, known locally as the gap, the aircraft turned left (south) on a line tracking the rich mt VOR. The aircraft flew into rich mountain at 200 feet below the gap.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 21, 2006 APPROX 10 AM, AIRCRAFT N2160W, A BEECHCRAFT BE-23-C23 DEPARTED MENA ARKANSAS AIRPORT (M39) ON 35 RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF VFR FLYING NORTH FROM MENA AIRPORT, AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD FOR APPROX 8 MILES TO ACORN, AR, AND TURNED TOWARDS THE WEST, AND FLEW WEST APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES TRACKING ARKANSAS HIGHWAY 270 IN THE VALLEY CREATED BY RICH MT AND BLACK FORK MT. THAT MORNING THE TOPS OF THESE MOUNTAINS WERE COVERED WITH FOG. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT REACHED A POINT BETWEEN THE VILLAGES OF EAGLETON AND RICH MT., AR, KNOWN LOCALLY AS THE GAP, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED LEFT (SOUTH) ON A LINE TRACKING THE RICH MT VOR. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO RICH MOUNTAIN AT 200 FEET BELOW THE GAP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.