What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
History of flight
On June 9, 2015, about 07:45 p.m. central daylight time, a 1949 Piper PA16 airplane, us registration number N5735H, serial number 16-347, impacted terrain on landing approach on a private airstrip near town of Hazen, Arkansas. The private pilot, sole occupant on the aircraft, sustained minor injury. The airplane was substantially damaged during the accident. The aircraft was registered and being operated by a private certificated male under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight; no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Hazen municipal airport (6M0) and was destined for a private airstrip approximately 7 miles south east. There were no other witnesses. On inbound to land, the pilot made three circling maneuvers before locating the runway. On approach to land he had the runway in sight. When the pilot flared the aircraft, he lost sight of the runway and drifted to the right. The aircraft impacted the terrain in a rice field and the aircraft flipped over and upside down.
Pilot information
The pilot held a private pilot airplane single engine land certificate with a tail wheel endorsement. His last third-class federal aviation administration, (FAA) medical was issued on 07/15/2013. A current pilot logbook was available.
Aircraft information
The 1949 Piper PA16 airplane, us registration number N5735, serial number 16-347, is a high fixed wing aircraft with conventional landing gear, configured for a maximum of 2 occupants. Current aircraft logbooks were available.
As the FAA filed it
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
ON JUNE 9, 2015, ABOUT 07:45 P.M. CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A 1949 PIPER PA16 AIRPLANE, US REGISTRATION NUMBER N5735H, SERIAL NUMBER 16-347, IMPACTED TERRAIN ON LANDING APPROACH ON A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR TOWN OF HAZEN, ARKANSAS. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT ON THE AIRCRAFT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED AND BEING OPERATED BY A PRIVATE CERTIFICATED MALE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT; NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT HAZEN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (6M0) AND WAS DESTINED FOR A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES SOUTH EAST. THERE WERE NO OTHER WITNESSES. ON INBOUND TO LAND, THE PILOT MADE THREE CIRCLING MANEUVERS BEFORE LOCATING THE RUNWAY. ON APPROACH TO LAND HE HAD THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT. WHEN THE PILOT FLARED THE AIRCRAFT, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE RUNWAY AND DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A RICE FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND UPSIDE DOWN.
PILOT INFORMATION
THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND CERTIFICATE WITH A TAIL WHEEL ENDORSEMENT. HIS LAST THIRD-CLASS FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, (FAA) MEDICAL WAS ISSUED ON 07/15/2013. A CURRENT PILOT LOGBOOK WAS AVAILABLE.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
THE 1949 PIPER PA16 AIRPLANE, US REGISTRATION NUMBER N5735, SERIAL NUMBER 16-347, IS A HIGH FIXED WING AIRCRAFT WITH CONVENTIONAL LANDING GEAR, CONFIGURED FOR A MAXIMUM OF 2 OCCUPANTS. CURRENT AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS WERE AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.