Piper PA-18 accident near Marshall, Arkansas, March 8, 1993
On March 8, 1993 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N8696D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marshall, Arkansas (Searcy County airport). 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 PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE FENCE POST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1993 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marshall, Arkansas · Searcy County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N8696D · registry record · serial 18-6306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND DOWN A SLOPED AREA. AFTER IT LEFT THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A FENCE POST.
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: 384 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 333 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,715 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1993; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1M1 N. Little Rock AR at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,400 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.