Piper PA-24-250 accident near Lonoke, Arkansas, January 5, 1982
On January 5, 1982 at about 3:49 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5304P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lonoke, Arkansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1982 · about 3:49 pm local time
- Place
- Lonoke, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5304P · no longer on the register · serial 24345
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AT 2000 FT AS HE WAS DESCENDING FOR AN APPROACH. HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP, AND PUMPED THE THROTTLE BUT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A SOD AREA NEXT TO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY WHILE THE LEFT CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 15 GALS OF FUEL. THE PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED FUEL RUNNING OUT OF THE RIGHT TANK ONTO THE PAVEMENT. THE FAA INSPECTORS COULD FIND NO FUEL STAINS ON THE AIRCRAFT OR ROADWAY AND NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL LEAK. THE ENGINE WAS RUN DURING THE INVESTIGATION AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 522 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1AS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIT Memphis TN at 9:00 am
- Destination: MEM Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 115°F (46°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from LIT, 20 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.