Cessna 140 accident near Big Flat, Arkansas, October 16, 2005
On October 16, 2005 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N72901, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Flat, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2005 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Big Flat, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72901 · no longer on the register · serial 10095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 345-hour private pilot completed a detailed preflight inspection and determined he had 26 gallons of fuel on-board for a cross-country flight. He then departed his home airfield, to pick up a passenger at another airfield approximately 17 nautical miles away The pilot then departed for another airfield located about 76 nautical miles away; no problems were noted during these flights. However, ten minutes after departing his last airfield, the engine experienced a loss of RPM. The pilot ran the emergency checklist and searched for a place to land as the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The airplane had experienced several loss of engine power events before, but each time the pilot was able to make a safe landing. The first time was shortly after being sold to a new buyer; an inspection of the airplane's fuel tanks, revealed contamination in the form of "beads" in the fuel tank. Shortly after having the tanks flushed, the second loss of power event happened, (after each event, and after the airplane had landed the engine would produce power again). The carburetor was examined and the airplane returned to service. Approximately 15-30 hours later, another loss of power event happened. This time the carburetor was sent to a repair facility, which rebuilt the carburetor and told the owner that a "wrong jet" had been installed in the carburetor. The airplane then flew another 50-60 hours without a re-occurrence. The airplane's original fuel caps were replaced, sometime prior to the accident. The fuel caps installed on the airplane were an aftermarket design, with the label "2646V" inked on the top of the caps. The vent holes in these caps were less than half the size of the original fuel caps. Additionally, it was possible for the gasket (in the fuel cap) to cover one or both of the vent holes. A review of the airplane's records failed to reveal when the original fuel caps were replaced. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 322 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2004
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3M0 Lakeview AR at 9:00 pm
- Destination: CWS Conway AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from FLP, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N72901 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.