Piper PA-34-200 accident near Texarkana, Arkansas, June 5, 1983
On June 5, 1983 at about 3:45 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N57328, was substantially damaged in an accident near Texarkana, Arkansas (Texarkana Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 5, 1983 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Texarkana, Arkansas · Texarkana Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N57328 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7450051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING A NIGHT LANDING. ELECTRICAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE ACFT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. WHEN ELECT RECAL POWER COULD NOT BE RESTORED THE PLT ELECTED TO RETURN TO TEXARKANA AND LAND USING VASI. THE PLT COULD NOT ACTIVATE THE RWY LIGHTS. THE PASSENGER HELD A FLASHLIGHT TRYING TO SEE THE GROUND ON SHORT FINAL. THE PLT REALIZED HE NEEDED THE LIGHT ON HIS AIRSPEED IN TRYING RETRIEVE IT THE ACFT BEGAN TO BUFFET. THE PLT LOWERED THE ACFT NOSE AND HIT THE GROUND 50-75 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. BECAUSE OF IMPACT DAMAGE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COULD NOT BE CHECKED AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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: 609 hours in all; 199 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 548 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AGO Magnolia AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 6,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.