What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 30, 2020 at approximately 1255 CST, N8979T, while on an IFR training flight from kbpk (mountain home, AR) to karg (walnut ridge, AR) impacted terrain in the vicinity of Franklin, AR resulting in all on board (two fatalities).
The federal aviation administration became aware of the accident on November 30, 2020 at approximately 1500 (l).
A little rock flight standards district office (FSDO) front line manager (flm) called three investigating inspectors at approximately 1730 (l) on November 30, 2020. One investigating inspector discussed with izard county sheriff actions on accident site until investigating inspectors would arrive. Investigating inspectors asked if sheriff department could provide security on site, and the izard county sheriff agreed. Both bodies were removed from the site by Arkansas state police and izard county sheriff on November 30, 2020.
Three investigating inspectors arrived on site at approximately 09:15(l) on December 1, 2020. Izard county sheriff deputies provided an overview of what they saw while recovering the deceased airmen at the accident site the evening prior. A little rock FSDO flm provided the FAA aeromedical team the coroner and medical examiner contact information for toxicology samples. Airmen personal effects were left in the custody of izard county sheriff?s department.
Investigating inspectors actions on the accident site were assisted by the Piper aircraft representative. Little rock FSDO informed investigating inspectors that NTSB investigators would not be on site and to perform this investigation as a delegated representative.
Initial investigation of site revealed no post-crash fire. No signs of fuel spill existed. All major sections of the aircraft were accounted for. The wreckage appeared to have entered the trees on a low angle, high speed impact in a straight line over a distance of approximately 150 meters.
Two witnesses provided statements. One heard the aircraft fly over and a loud bang. Investigating inspectors talked to this witness who said the airplane sounded like the engine was running erratically. Another witness, who lives about three miles south of the accident site, actually saw the airplane and said that it was extremely low and thought he was going to land in his pond before the engine surged twice and flew north toward the accident site.
Investigating inspectors talked to all airport representatives along the flight who said that this aircraft did not, or no record existed of receiving fuel. Air traffic voice recording indicated that the aircraft asked for a different altitude due to turbulence. Not long after the aircraft impacted terrain with no other transmissions.
Medical records from the FAA were unremarkable. Review of airman data was unremarkable. A review of maintenance records was unremarkable.
Aeromedical medical summary from cami was unremarkable for both pilots. Toxicology results pending.
Ntsb/faa released the aircraft for transport. .
NTSB lead investigator directed via email to FAA that no further investigation or engine runs required, FAA concurred.
1/4/2021: Will modify if ATC data reveals any additional information.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 30, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1255 CST, N8979T, WHILE ON AN IFR TRAINING FLIGHT FROM KBPK (MOUNTAIN HOME, AR) TO KARG (WALNUT RIDGE, AR) IMPACTED TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF FRANKLIN, AR RESULTING IN ALL ON BOARD (TWO FATALITIES).
THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION BECAME AWARE OF THE ACCIDENT ON NOVEMBER 30, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 (L).
A LITTLE ROCK FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO) FRONT LINE MANAGER (FLM) CALLED THREE INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS AT APPROXIMATELY 1730 (L) ON NOVEMBER 30, 2020. ONE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR DISCUSSED WITH IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF ACTIONS ON ACCIDENT SITE UNTIL INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS WOULD ARRIVE. INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS ASKED IF SHERIFF DEPARTMENT COULD PROVIDE SECURITY ON SITE, AND THE IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF AGREED. BOTH BODIES WERE REMOVED FROM THE SITE BY ARKANSAS STATE POLICE AND IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF ON NOVEMBER 30, 2020.
THREE INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS ARRIVED ON SITE AT APPROXIMATELY 09:15(L) ON DECEMBER 1, 2020. IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEY SAW WHILE RECOVERING THE DECEASED AIRMEN AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THE EVENING PRIOR. A LITTLE ROCK FSDO FLM PROVIDED THE FAA AEROMEDICAL TEAM THE CORONER AND MEDICAL EXAMINER CONTACT INFORMATION FOR TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES. AIRMEN PERSONAL EFFECTS WERE LEFT IN THE CUSTODY OF IZARD COUNTY SHERIFF?S DEPARTMENT.
INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS ACTIONS ON THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE ASSISTED BY THE PIPER AIRCRAFT REPRESENTATIVE. LITTLE ROCK FSDO INFORMED INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS THAT NTSB INVESTIGATORS WOULD NOT BE ON SITE AND TO PERFORM THIS INVESTIGATION AS A DELEGATED REPRESENTATIVE.
INITIAL INVESTIGATION OF SITE REVEALED NO POST-CRASH FIRE. NO SIGNS OF FUEL SPILL EXISTED. ALL MAJOR SECTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. THE WRECKAGE APPEARED TO HAVE ENTERED THE TREES ON A LOW ANGLE, HIGH SPEED IMPACT IN A STRAIGHT LINE OVER A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 METERS.
TWO WITNESSES PROVIDED STATEMENTS. ONE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT FLY OVER AND A LOUD BANG. INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS TALKED TO THIS WITNESS WHO SAID THE AIRPLANE SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ERRATICALLY. ANOTHER WITNESS, WHO LIVES ABOUT THREE MILES SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, ACTUALLY SAW THE AIRPLANE AND SAID THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY LOW AND THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO LAND IN HIS POND BEFORE THE ENGINE SURGED TWICE AND FLEW NORTH TOWARD THE ACCIDENT SITE.
INVESTIGATING INSPECTORS TALKED TO ALL AIRPORT REPRESENTATIVES ALONG THE FLIGHT WHO SAID THAT THIS AIRCRAFT DID NOT, OR NO RECORD EXISTED OF RECEIVING FUEL. AIR TRAFFIC VOICE RECORDING INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ASKED FOR A DIFFERENT ALTITUDE DUE TO TURBULENCE. NOT LONG AFTER THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN WITH NO OTHER TRANSMISSIONS.
MEDICAL RECORDS FROM THE FAA WERE UNREMARKABLE. REVIEW OF AIRMAN DATA WAS UNREMARKABLE. A REVIEW OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS WAS UNREMARKABLE.
AEROMEDICAL MEDICAL SUMMARY FROM CAMI WAS UNREMARKABLE FOR BOTH PILOTS. TOXICOLOGY RESULTS PENDING.
NTSB/FAA RELEASED THE AIRCRAFT FOR TRANSPORT. .
NTSB LEAD INVESTIGATOR DIRECTED VIA EMAIL TO FAA THAT NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION OR ENGINE RUNS REQUIRED, FAA CONCURRED.
1/4/2021: WILL MODIFY IF ATC DATA REVEALS ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.