- Date
- June 1, 1986, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Des Arc, AR
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19860601043281A19860601043282A
- Case key
- 34070
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
Numerous witnesses on a sandbar in the white river observed this collision of two airplanes as they were flying close together, low, over the river. Of the nine witness statements received, five had the Piper PA-28-140 hitting the Cessna 140, three had the Cessna 140 hitting the Piper PA-28-140 and one had them drifting together. The people in the airplanes were waving to the people on the sandbar when the airplanes collided. Both airplanes impacted the terrain above the river bank. The Piper PA-28-140 burned after impact with the terrain.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N89247
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8267
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ralph W. Fulmer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Cabot, AR
- Destination
- Brinkley, AR
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.
- Registration
- N4254J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-22611
- Airframe hours
- 1,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles M. Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 18, 1986 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- Cabot, AR
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N89247
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 5,804 total · 22 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N4254J
- Age
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,995 total · 18 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LIT, 60 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.