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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1991 · about 1:15 am local time · cases in 1991
- 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 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 375 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westex Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAW Lawton OK at 10:40 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8233A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M 418 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lawton-Fort Sill Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Arkansas 1,582 since 1982 · 176 in the last ten years
- Arkansas 3,493 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW91LA128.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.