Piper PA-24-260 accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, August 1, 1992
On August 1, 1992 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8747P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas (Hot Springs Mun. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1992 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas · Hot Springs Mun. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8747P · registry record · serial 24-200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAYLIGHT DEPARTURE THE AIRPLANE LOST PARTIAL POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET AGL WHEN THE POWER WAS LOST. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD AND THE TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS UNSUITABLE FOR LANDING. THE PILOT ELECTED TO REVERSE DIRECTION AND RETURN TO AN AVAILABLE RUNWAY. UNABLE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT OF THE CHOSEN RUNWAY. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,643 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1992; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cobb Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: HOT at 2:20 pm
- Destination: HOT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,099 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.