Piper PA-24 accident near West Fork, Arkansas, July 23, 1990
On July 23, 1990 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N7202P, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Fork, Arkansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1990 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Fork, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N7202P · registry record · serial 24-2372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 6,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL THE PA24-250 EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE IDLER GEAR BOLT FAILING AND JAMMING THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A NARROW FARM ROAD, DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE WING STRUCK A UTILITY POLE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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 sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 394 hours in all; 296 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command; 4 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M48 Houston MO at 12:15 pm
- Destination: BKD Breckenridge TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:48 pm from FYV, 25 miles away
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.