Cessna 140A accident near Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, June 21, 2012
On June 21, 2012 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140A, registered N9497A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Walnut Ridge, Arkansas (Walnut Ridge Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after encountering a whirlwind or dust-devil during the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2012 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Walnut Ridge, Arkansas · Walnut Ridge Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N9497A · no longer on the register · serial 15318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings when the accident occurred. The pilot stated that the tailwheel-equipped airplane encountered an "abrupt gust of wind" during the landing flare that lifted the tail, placing the airplane into a nose-low attitude. The airplane subsequently impacted the runway and nosed over onto its back. The pilot noted that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. The pilot reported that during the accident flight he saw several "dust devils" or “whirlwinds” in the agricultural fields surrounding the airport and attributed the wind gust encountered during the landing flare to one of those events. A postaccident review of the available wind data revealed the prevailing wind was from the south at 11 knots, which resulted in a left quartering crosswind of about 7 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Dust devil/whirlwind › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 10,500 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,084 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Walnut Ridge AR at 5:00 pm
- Destination: KARG Walnut Ridge AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KARG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.