Mikoyan MIG-15BIS accident near Little Rock, Arkansas, July 16, 2003
On July 16, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Mikoyan MIG-15BIS, registered N15PE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Little Rock, Arkansas (Adams Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Little Rock, Arkansas · Adams Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mikoyan MIG-15BIS
- Registration
- N15PE · registry record · serial 122073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The vintage airplane overran the departure end of the runway during an aborted takeoff following a loss of engine power. The 12,450-hour pilot stated that right after rotation, while the airplane was about 10 feet off the runway, the airplane "shook" and the engine lost power. The aircraft subsequently settled back into the runway; however, the pilot was not able to stop the airplane in the 1,000 feet of runway remaining. A tower controller reported seeing a "puff of smoke" coming from the engine about the time the airplane became airborne. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, impacted the perimeter fence, and came to rest in a field. The reason for the 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,450 hours in all; 239 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 10, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,108.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 2003; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Klimov KLIMOV-VK-7 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIT Little Rock AR at 9:00 pm
- Destination: BMG Bloomington IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 5,126 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from LIT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW03LA187.