# Accident 20060321004379A: Beech C23, Mena, AR, March 21, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 21, 2006, 10:00 local time
- Place: Mena, AR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.5494° N, 94.2047° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5494&lon=-94.2047&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2160W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2160W-2013-04-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech C23 (registry code 1151242, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH C23
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,042 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DFW06LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06LA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060321004379A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DFW06LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06LA088), Mar 21, 2006: Beech C23 (N2160W), Mena, AR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were the mountainous terrain and the low ceilings.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.