- Date
- September 2, 1983, 21:01 local (Sep 3, 1983, 02:01 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Smith, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3594GPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 21041
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 acft had departed laredo, TX, on a flt to ft Smith, AR, with an intermediate stop at brinkley, AR. The fuel tanks were 'topped' at laredo, but no fuel was added at brinkley. During arrival at ft Smith, the plt declared an emergency for 'extremely low fuel.' He was cleared for a straight-in apch. Very shortly after that, both engs began running rough with both fuel boost pump lights illuminated. The plt informed the tower that he would not be able to reach the arpt. He selected a dark unpopulated area to land & extended the gear. When he turned on the landing lights, he realize he had selected a wooded area. The acft was destroyed after impacting trees. The plt had begun the 1st of 6 flt at 0608 CDT & had gotten very little sleep the preceeding night.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3594G
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-8052089
- Airframe hours
- 1,308
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Farrell Cooper Mining Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 15, 1983
- Departed
- M36 · Brinkley, AR
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- F&M · Fort Smith Muni., runway 25, 8,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,107 total · 724 in this make and model · 5,952 as pilot in command · 159 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg