Beech A36 accident near Midland, Arkansas, December 6, 1982
On December 6, 1982 at about 2:41 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N767T, was destroyed in an accident near Midland, Arkansas (Fort Smith Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- December 6, 1982 · about 2:41 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Arkansas · Fort Smith Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N767T · registry record · serial E-372
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PLT FILED HIS VFR FLT PLAN HE WAS OBSERVED USING AN IFR ENROUTE CHART. ABOUT 7 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT REQUESTED A FREQUENCY TO CALL FOR A CLEARANCE TO CLIMB ON TOP OF THE OVERCAST. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER, AS THE PLT WAS GIVING HIS POSITION, THE ACFT STRUCK A MOUNTAIN 250 FT BELOW THE PEAK. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THE ACFT WAS IN A WINGS LEVEL, SLIGHT CLIMB ATTITUDE. A DEPARTING CORPORATE FLIGHT WAS SENT TO THE AREA IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE THE WRECKAGE & REPORTED THAT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN & THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE IN THE CLOUDS. THERE WERE NO VFR CHARTS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE & THE PLT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA SOUTH OF FORT SMITH.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 2,800 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,070 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Treanor Equipment Company
The flight
- Departed from: C Fort Smith AR at 8:32 am
- Destination: C Abilene TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 am from FSM, 19 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.