Beech 19 accident near Little Rock, Arkansas, January 2, 1982
On January 2, 1982 at about 6:00 am local time, a Beech 19, registered N9779L, was destroyed in an accident near Little Rock, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 2, 1982 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Little Rock, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 19 · all 19s on the register
- Registration
- N9779L · no longer on the register · serial MB536
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NORTH LITTLE ROCK AIRPORT SOMETIME AFTER 1745 AND WAS NOT SEEN OR HEARD FROM AGAIN. AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 A WITNESS 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT HEARD THE SOUND OF A LIGHT AIRCRAFT INCREASING AND DECREASING POWER JUST BEFORE THE SOUND OF IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND IN AN ALMOST STRAIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT'S WIFE STATED THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO OR GYRO COMPASS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY & THE PLT & PAX LEFT HOME BETWEEN 1400 & 1500 TO WORK ON IT.
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
- Flight time: 153 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,668 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 115°F (46°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.