Waco KNF accident near Midway, Arkansas, November 5, 1999
On November 5, 1999 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Waco KNF, registered N698N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midway, Arkansas (Promise Land Airstrip 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 inability of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane as a result of a downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1999 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Midway, Arkansas · Promise Land Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Waco KNF
- Registration
- N698N · registry record · serial 3246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane encountered a downdraft while on final approach and contacted trees. According to the pilot, the airplane was at 25 feet agl, crossing a road and trees, at the approach end of runway 18, when he 'felt a rapid sink of the aircraft.' The pilot 'applied full throttle and attempted to lower the nose of the aircraft, but within what seemed like a couple of seconds' the airplane's left wing contacted trees. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest upright. The pilot stated that he attributed the loss of altitude to a 'downdraft.' Another pilot, who flew the same approach 5 minutes prior to the accident airplane, reported that his aircraft experienced a 20 mph loss of airspeed while on final approach. That pilot added that he attributed the loss of airspeed to a 'downdraft.'
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,923 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,237 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1999; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,938 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner K-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from BPK
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.