# Accident 20201130014119A: Piper PA-38-112, Franklin, AR, November 30, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 30, 2020, 12:00 local time - Place: Franklin, AR - Airport: Horseshoe Bend - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.1783° N, 91.7715° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1783&lon=-91.7715&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9879T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9879T-2021-11-20) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-38-112 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA070) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201130014119A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## 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 CEN21LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA070), Nov 30, 2020: Piper PA38 (N9879T), Franklin, AR, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The impairment of both pilots from carbon monoxide exposure due to a degraded muffler. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance inspection, which failed to detect the degraded… 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.