Piper PA-60-600 accident near Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, March 1, 1991
On March 1, 1991 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-600, registered N7488S, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. 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 OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT. FACTORS WERE THE IMPROPER OVERHAUL OF THE ENGINES BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL RESULTING IN OIL LOSS, DETERIORATED ENGINE PERFORMANCE, AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1991 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Chaffee, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N7488S · no longer on the register · serial 60-0045-100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT HIS RIGHT ENGINE WAS LOSING OIL AS HE WAS CLIMBING TO CRUISE ALTITUDE. HE SECURED THE ENGINE, FEATHERED THE PROPELLER, AND MANEUVERED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT TRIMMED THE AIRCRAFT FOR SINGLE ENGINE OPERATION AND EXTENDED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. DURING THE APPROACH, THE OPERATING LEFT ENGINE WOULD NOT DEVELOP FULL POWER AND THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ITS EMERGENCY DESCENT, IMPACTED TREES, AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED THROUGH A DENSELY WOODED AREA. A FUEL TANK RUPTURED DURING THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT THROUGH THE TREES AND A FIRE/EXPLOSION OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO BURN AFTER GROUND IMPACT. BOTH ENGINES WERE DISASSEMBLED AND NUMEROUS MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. THEY HAD BEEN RECENTLY OVERHAULED. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT SINCE THE ENGINE OVERHAULS. THE PILOT/OWNER WAS EN ROUTE TO SELL THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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: 1,800 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FSM Fort Smith AR at 10:40 pm
- Destination: VKS Vicksburg MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°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.