Piper PA-32R-300 accident near El Dorado, Arkansas, January 23, 1993
On January 23, 1993 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N7676C, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Dorado, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1993 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- El Dorado, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N7676C · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SERIES OF PRACTICE VISUAL APPROACHES TO AN AIRFIELD THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE, APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 80 FEET TALL, ON THE THIRD APPROACH APPROXIMATELY A HALF MILE SHORT OF THE LANDING THRESHOLD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE VASI SYSTEM DURING THE APPROACH, IT INDICATED THE LIGHTS IN THE RED. AFTER THE TREE STRIKE THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL AND CIRCLED TO LAND ON THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY.
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
- Flight time: 561 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 523 as pilot in command; 64 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,195 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1992; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Acoustics Consultants INC
The flight
- Departed from: CDH Camden AR
- Destination: ELD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:12 am from ELD, 1 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N7676C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.