Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL accident near Lonoke, Arkansas, October 20, 2012
On October 20, 2012 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL, registered N337T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lonoke, Arkansas (Country Air Estates Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2012 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lonoke, Arkansas · Country Air Estates Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL · all PA-18-105 SPECIALs on the register
- Registration
- N337T · registry record · serial 18-2451
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot-in-command, the airplane began to yaw to the right as he was advancing the power following a three-point landing. The airplane was heading toward a ditch that bordered the runway. The pilot indicated that he tried to correct the yaw but was too late. The airplane went through the ditch, over to the crossing runway, and came to rest in a wetland area, sustaining substantial left wing tip and empennage damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 48 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 2, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,856 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-TC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1AR9 Lonoke AR at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 1AR9 Lonoke AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from LRF
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.