Cessna 140 accident near Jonesboro, Arkansas, July 31, 2013
On July 31, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2745N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Jonesboro, Arkansas (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing and his delay in performing an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jonesboro, Arkansas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2745N · no longer on the register · serial 13003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane bounced on landing and encountered a wind gust after it ascended above the corn crop that bordered the runway. The pilot aborted the landing attempt when he realized that he was unable to regain control of the airplane with enough runway remaining to ensure a safe landing; however, the airplane collided with a fence and a field at the end of the airstrip. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, he stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had discontinued the landing attempt immediately after the bounced landing.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,778 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 3,642 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 4, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Jonesboro AR at 6:30 pm
- Destination: PVT Jonesboro AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,825 ft by 21 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:43 pm from KJBR, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 22, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation (Bobby Joe Smith, Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.