What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 26, 2021 at 17:25 CST, a Cessna 172E; serial # 17251698, registered as N5798T was destroyed when it crashed in Hardy, Arkansas. The pilot in command and non-certificated passenger were fatally injured.
According to next of kin interview, PIC departed gen-airpark (3G8) in geneseo, Illinois at approximately 1030 local time and PIC intended to terminate the flight at walnut ridge regional airport (arg), in walnut ridge, Arkansas.
According to the ATC record, the PIC attempted to land at walnut ridge but could not land due to low visibility. PIC requested vectors to an airport with VFR conditions and ATC vectored pilot west toward mountain home. Shortly afterward, the PIC reported low fuel and before losing radio contact, the PIC said he would descend to 300? AGL and use foreflight to line up with the runway at sharp county. The last transmission from the PIC said they ran out of fuel.
The aircraft impacted the ground in wooded mountainous terrain approximately 5.5 miles north of sharp county regional airport. The FAA and NTSB responded on scene on December 28.
Aircraft appeared to impact the ground in a nose down attitude with significant momentum and created a large impact crater. Aircraft structure accordioned into the ground with the engine embedded approximately 2 feet underground. There was no post impact fire and no smell of fuel. Aircraft wreckage was removed from the scene and positioned for investigation.
On December 29, the FAA, NTSB, and Textron tech rep inspected the engine, instruments, and airframe. Airframe damage consistent with high energy impact and remaining structure did not reveal potential causal factor. Aircraft engine was significantly damaged and accessories broke off from impact. However, all inspectable items did not reveal potential causal factor. Propeller was found broken in two pieces with the brake occurring in the middle of the propeller hub. Propeller blades did not look like they were powered when collision occurred.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 26, 2021 AT 17:25 CST, A CESSNA 172E; SERIAL # 17251698, REGISTERED AS N5798T WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT CRASHED IN HARDY, ARKANSAS. THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND NON-CERTIFICATED PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED.
ACCORDING TO NEXT OF KIN INTERVIEW, PIC DEPARTED GEN-AIRPARK (3G8) IN GENESEO, ILLINOIS AT APPROXIMATELY 1030 LOCAL TIME AND PIC INTENDED TO TERMINATE THE FLIGHT AT WALNUT RIDGE REGIONAL AIRPORT (ARG), IN WALNUT RIDGE, ARKANSAS.
ACCORDING TO THE ATC RECORD, THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT WALNUT RIDGE BUT COULD NOT LAND DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. PIC REQUESTED VECTORS TO AN AIRPORT WITH VFR CONDITIONS AND ATC VECTORED PILOT WEST TOWARD MOUNTAIN HOME. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE PIC REPORTED LOW FUEL AND BEFORE LOSING RADIO CONTACT, THE PIC SAID HE WOULD DESCEND TO 300? AGL AND USE FOREFLIGHT TO LINE UP WITH THE RUNWAY AT SHARP COUNTY. THE LAST TRANSMISSION FROM THE PIC SAID THEY RAN OUT OF FUEL.
THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN WOODED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 5.5 MILES NORTH OF SHARP COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT. THE FAA AND NTSB RESPONDED ON SCENE ON DECEMBER 28.
AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO IMPACT THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH SIGNIFICANT MOMENTUM AND CREATED A LARGE IMPACT CRATER. AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE ACCORDIONED INTO THE GROUND WITH THE ENGINE EMBEDDED APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET UNDERGROUND. THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE AND NO SMELL OF FUEL. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCENE AND POSITIONED FOR INVESTIGATION.
ON DECEMBER 29, THE FAA, NTSB, AND TEXTRON TECH REP INSPECTED THE ENGINE, INSTRUMENTS, AND AIRFRAME. AIRFRAME DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH HIGH ENERGY IMPACT AND REMAINING STRUCTURE DID NOT REVEAL POTENTIAL CAUSAL FACTOR. AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED AND ACCESSORIES BROKE OFF FROM IMPACT. HOWEVER, ALL INSPECTABLE ITEMS DID NOT REVEAL POTENTIAL CAUSAL FACTOR. PROPELLER WAS FOUND BROKEN IN TWO PIECES WITH THE BRAKE OCCURRING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPELLER HUB. PROPELLER BLADES DID NOT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE POWERED WHEN COLLISION OCCURRED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.