Piper PA-30 accident near Oppella, Arkansas, January 27, 1991
On January 27, 1991 at about 7:30 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N291R, was destroyed in an accident near Oppella, Arkansas (Petit Jean airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE FOLLOWING LOSS OF HIS VISUAL REFERENCES AND ALLOWING HIMSELF TO BECOME DIVERTED DURING THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE INTERRUPTED INSTRUMENT LIGHTING AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 1991 · about 7:30 am local time
- Place
- Oppella, Arkansas · Petit Jean · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N291R · no longer on the register · serial 30-808
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES 65 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, APPROXIMATELY .25 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY AFTER EXECUTING A TURN LEFT OF 90 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A LAKE. THE RUNWAY IN USE FOR THE DARK NIGHT DEPARTURE WAS 20. THE RUNWAY WAS LOCATED IN A DEPRESSION ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN SHROUDED BY FOG AND CLOUDS, PROVIDING NO HORIZON FOR A VISUAL REFERENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE SWITCH WAS IN THE ON POSITION. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FOUND POPPED. EVIDENCE OF THE PILOT STRIKING THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE SIGNIFICANT INJURIES TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TORSO AND EXTREMITIES INDICATED THE PILOT WAS REACHING DOWN WITH THE RIGHT HAND, WITH THE LEFT HAND ON THE YOKE, IN AN EFFORT TO RESET THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT'S CIRCUIT BREAKER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,641 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,212 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1990; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LIT Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 5,980 ft by 73 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.