Cessna 500 accident near Conway, Arkansas, June 30, 2007
On June 30, 2007 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 500, registered N771HR, was destroyed in an accident near Conway, Arkansas (Dennis F. Cantrell Field Arpt). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to fly a stabilized approach and his delayed decision to abort the landing. Contributing to the accident was the standing water on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2007 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, Arkansas · Dennis F. Cantrell Field Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N771HR · no longer on the register · serial 500-0206
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The twin-engine turbojet airplane was attempting to land on a runway with standing water when the accident occurred. Before the landing attempt, the pilot was told that the runway was wet from a recent rain shower. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane on the runway traveling at a high speed and then increase engine power to abort the landing with about 1/4 of the runway remaining. The surviving passenger reported that the runway was "soaked and shiny with water." He stated that the airplane landed hard and fishtailed during the landing roll. During the aborted landing the airplane impacted a jet-blast deflector located off the departure end of the runway. The airplane then proceeded through the airport perimeter fence and impacted a residential structure before coming to a stop. The airplane and residential structure were destroyed during a postaccident fire. An examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal any anomalies associated with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The airplane was not equipped with thrust reversers or an anti-skid braking system. Radar track data analysis indicated that when the airplane was about 1/4 mile from the end of the runway it was approximately 16 knots above its target landing reference speed (Vref) and had a descent rate of 1,150 feet per minute. The runway was 4,875 feet long. The calculated landing distance for a runway with standing water is 4,789 feet.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,575 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,752.6 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 11, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada JT-15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada JT-15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Ihr Adminstrative Services, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: T47 Wichita Falls TX at 6:37 pm
- Destination: KCWS Conway AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 4,875 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KLRF, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.