Amateur-built 114 accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, December 6, 2002
On December 6, 2002, a amateur-built 114, registered N314M, was destroyed in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine ignition system's single-drive dual-magneto, and the magneto's improper installation by unknown maintenance personnel. Contributing factors were the improper installation of the magneto by unknown maintenance personnel, the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing, and the dark night light condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2002
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 114
- Registration
- N314M · registry record · serial 14268
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on an instrument flight plan at night, with a destination of Little Rock, Arkansas. The pilot reported a loss of engine power, and he diverted into Hot Springs, Arkansas. The airplane impacted a brick house, approximately 6,000 feet short of the runway. The airplane engine ignition system's single-drive dual-magneto exhibited evidence of melted plastic on its four-lobe breaker cam. The cam itself exhibited "bluing" discoloration and was dry of lubrication. The internal damage to the magneto suggested that the breaker cam's shaft had been forcibly pushed into the magneto. Evaluation of the magneto housing revealed a 7/8-inch gouge, which matched the dimension of its hold-down clamp. The magneto had been removed during the airplane's last annual inspection for a normal maintenance inspection. The airplane had flown approximately 148 hours since its annual inspection.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 620 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,794 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 2002; 148 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,140 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-540-T4B5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Dallas TX at 11:22 pm
- Destination: LIT Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
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.