Piper PA-30 accident near Lonoke, Arkansas, October 13, 2007
On October 13, 2007 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8635Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lonoke, Arkansas (Country Air Estates airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2007 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lonoke, Arkansas · Country Air Estates · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8635Y · registry record · serial 30-1776
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot inadvertently executed a hard landing on runway 18 (3,800 feet by 100 feet, turf). The pilot stated that he landed short in order to avoid back taxiing and to minimize delays for other aircraft. The pilot stated he "landed hard and struck the left prop on the ground." He subsequently taxied safely to parking. A post accident inspection revealed damage to the left wing inboard of the engine, and to the left side of the fuselage under the pilot's side window. The pilot reported no failures or malfunctions related to the aircraft prior to the accident.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORK N Little Rock AR at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 1AR9 Lonoke AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am from LIT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.