Piper PA-23-250 accident near Mena, Arkansas, June 2, 2006
On June 2, 2006 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N950RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mena, Arkansas (Mena Intermountain Municipal 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 landing flare resulting in a hard landing and his improper recovery procedures for a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2006 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mena, Arkansas · Mena Intermountain Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N950RM · no longer on the register · serial 27-4781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While executing a visual approach to runway 35, the 7,600-hour private pilot confirmed that the landing gear was extended. The pilot reported, that immediately after touching down on the 5,000-foot long, by 75-foot wide asphalt runway, he noticed a lower than usual nose attitude and applied aft pressure on the yoke which resulted in the airplane becoming airborne. The pilot added that "upon settling back onto the runway" the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered to the left. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who examined the twin-engine airplane, the pilot "made a hard nose wheel landing which caused the airplane to bounce back into the air." The FAA inspector added that, "Upon another hard landing the nose wheel blew out and the left main gear collapsed." The pilot reported having accumulated approximately 300 hours in the same and model aircraft. The wind at the time of the mishap was reported as light and variable.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,600 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 7,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,608 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-CIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q26 Brownfield TX at 5:00 pm
- Destination: MEZ Mena AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from FSM, 48 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.