Piper PA-28-181 accident near Heber Springs, Arkansas, July 28, 1991
On July 28, 1991 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8233A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Heber Springs, Arkansas (Tannenbaum 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S TOUCHDOWN AT AN IMPROPER POINT ON THE AIRSTRIP. A FACTOR WAS THE WET DOWNSLOPING GRASS AIRSTRIP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1991 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Heber Springs, Arkansas · Tannenbaum · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8233A · registry record · serial 28-8090353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED 1,350 FEET DOWN A 2,700 FOOT WET, GRASS, DOWNSLOPING RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE SWERVED UPON BRAKE APPLICATION AFTER TOUCHDOWN, WHICH WAS CORRECTED BY RUDDER APPLICATION. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT AND CAME TO REST IN THE TREES. ACCORDING TO THE PA-28-181 LANDING GROUND ROLL CHART, THE STOPPING DISTANCE FOR A PAVED, LEVEL, DRY RUNWAY IS 980 FEET. THE CHART DOES NOT ADDRESS RUNWAY SLOPE, WET RUNWAYS, OR GRASS RUNWAYS.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW91LA128.