Cessna 172I accident near Forrest City, Arkansas, June 16, 1983
On June 16, 1983 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N35520, was destroyed in an accident near Forrest City, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 16, 1983 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Forrest City, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N35520 · no longer on the register · serial 17256811
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED POWER FAILURE FROM ABOUT 20 FEET AGL DURING TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. A WITNESS HEARD THEENGINE SPIT AND POP DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. HE SAID IT SOUNDED JUST LIKE HIS OLD PICKUP WHEN IT RUNS OUT OF GAS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS EXAMINED BY A MECHANIC WHO SAID IT CONTAINED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL WITH NO TRASH OR WATER. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS 1/3 TO 1/2 FULL BUT THE RIGHT TANK HAD ONLY SEVEN QUARTS OF FUEL WITH ABOUT 6 DROPS OF WATER PRESENT. THE 7 QUARTS WERE COLLECTED BY REMOVING THE WING FROM THE ACFT BEFORE DRAINING IT. THE RESCUE PERSONNEL SAID THEY TURNED OFF THE FUEL BUT THE SELECTOR HAD BEEN ON THE RIGHT TANK WHEN THEY ARRIVED. THE OPERATORS FUEL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE IS TO USE ONE HALF OF ONE TANK THEN SWITCH TANKS AND RUN THE OPPOSITE TANK DRY.
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: 101 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,758 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Goodwin AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,330 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.