Eaa Acro Sport II accident near Sheridan, Arkansas, May 31, 2026
On May 31, 2026 at about 9:28 pm local time, a 1989 Eaa Acro Sport II, registered N23RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Sheridan, Arkansas (Sheridan-Grant County Regional 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 inadequate preflight inspection which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2026 · about 9:28 pm local time
- Place
- Sheridan, Arkansas · Sheridan-Grant County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eaa Acro Sport II, built 1989
- Registration
- N23RA · registry record · serial 107
- 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 while in cruise flight at 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine lost power and the pilot observed a low fuel pressure indication. He engaged the manual fuel pump, and engine power was briefly restored. He turned the airplane back toward the departure airport, but the engine power remained unreliable. The pilot selected a highway for an emergency landing and landed as close to the right side of the westbound lane as practical to maintain separation from vehicular traffic. During the landing rollout, the right wing struck a road sign which pulled the airplane sharply to the right. The main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest in a ditch. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The airplane was examined after the accident. The fuel tanks were intact and no fuel was present. The pilot reported that he checked his fuel totalizer before the flight but was distracted by a conversation and did not verify the fuel quantity visually. He reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 308 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,520 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 520 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KHOT, 38 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KHOT 312053Z AUTO 21005KT 10SM FEW044 34/23 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP123 T03440228 56016=
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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.