- Date
- June 24, 2003, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Widener, AR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4478BCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Little Rock FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030624013369A
- Case key
- 57305
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the wires and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, resulting in a stall. A factor contributing to the accident was the unmarked wires.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane impacted wires and subsequently the terrain while on approach to a private airstrip. The pilot reported he was at a low altitude and saw wires in front of the airplane. The pilot noted he attempted to maneuver to avoid the wires but "clipped them anyway." The pilot stated he attempted to continue landing and stalled the airplane several feet above the ground. The pilot reported the main landing gear impacted the terrain first and the airplane subsequently rolled over.
The wires were not marked for increased visibility.
Factual narrative
On June 24, 2003, about 1230 central daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N4478B, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a wire and subsequently the terrain while on approach to a private airstrip near Widener, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and his passenger reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The local flight originated from West Memphis Municipal Airport, West Memphis, Arkansas, at 1200.
The pilot reported he was practicing landing on a private grass strip. The pilot noted he got too low and saw wires in front of the airplane. The pilot stated he "pulled up to try and clear [the] wires, but clipped wires anyway." The pilot reported he attempted to continue landing and stalled the airplane several feet above the ground. The pilot noted the airplane impacted the terrain main landing gear first, and subsequently rolled over.
The wires were not marked for increased visibility.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the in-flight collision with the wires.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4478B
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26822
- Airframe hours
- 6,496
- Engine
- Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 8, 2003 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- AWM · West Memphis, AR
- Destination
- AWM · West Memphis, AR
- Airport
- PVT · Private, runway 18, 2,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 10, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 215 total · 130 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- AWM, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.