Piper PA-23-160 accident near Mena, Arkansas, March 16, 1993
On March 16, 1993 at about 3:20 am local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4341P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mena, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, HIS IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURES, DARKNESS, AND THE HIGH (MOUNTAINOUS) TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1993 · about 3:20 am local time
- Place
- Mena, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4341P · registry record · serial 23-1842
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING IFR ARRIVAL AT NIGHT, PILOT REQUESTED & WAS CLEARED FOR VOR/DME-A APPROACH, THOUGH THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH DME. HE WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND & MAINTAIN 4200' MSL UNTIL REACHING VOR. HE STATED THAT AFTER REACHING VOR, HE WAS MAKING A (PROCEDURE) TURN TO INTERCEPT INBOUND COURSE (105 DEGREES), WHEN AIRPLANE BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE. HE APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT AFTER STARTING PROCEDURE TURN, AIRPLANE CROSSED INBOUND RADIAL, HEADING EAST, & CONTINUED 13 MILES. PILOT THEN TURNED SOUTH TO INTERCEPT INBOUND COURSE, BUT AIRPLANE CONTINUED DESCENT. IT CRASHED ON RISING MOUNTAIN SLOPE ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF AIRPORT AT ABOUT 2300' MSL. MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE WAS 2360'. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. SURFACE TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT WERE 43/40 DEGREES WHICH WAS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE. PASSENGER STATED THEY ENCOUNTERED SEVERE CARBURETOR ICING & POSSIBLE EN ROUTE STRUCTURAL ICE, PILOT CYCLED CARBURETOR HEAT OFF & ON AS ICE WAS BURNED OFF & USED AIRSPEED INDICATOR AS ICE INDICATOR.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,520 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 3,064 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,978 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1992; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THA Tullahoma TN at 11:00 pm
- Destination: M39 AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded at 600 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 am from FSM, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.