Embraer EMB-120 RT accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, April 29, 1993
On April 29, 1993 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-120 RT, registered N24706, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas (Grider Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 13 people had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL COCKPIT DISCIPLINE, HIS CONSEQUENT INATTENTION TO FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS AND ICE ACCRETION, AND HIS SELECTION OF AN IMPROPER AUTOFLIGHT VERTICAL MODE, ALL OF WHICH LED TO AN AERODYNAMIC STALL, LOSS OF CONTROL, AND A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS CONTIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: POOR CREW DISCIPLINE, INCLUDING FLIGHTCREW COORDINATION BEFORE THE STALL AND THE FLIGHTCREW'S INAPPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO RECOVER FROM THE LOSS OF CONTROL. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FATIGUE INDUCED BY THE FLIGHTCREW'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MANAGE PROVIDED REST PERIODS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1993 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas · Grider Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 13 people had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120 RT · all EMB-120 RTs on the register
- Registration
- N24706 · registry record · serial 120.093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN CLIMB, CAPTAIN (PIC) INCREASED PITCH, WHEN FLIGHT ATTENDANT (F/A) ENTERED COCKPIT & SUGGESTED FASTER CLIMB, SO SHE COULD BEGIN CABIN SERVICE. AUTOFLIGHT WAS SET IN PITCH & HEADING MODES, CONTRARY TO COMPANY POLICY. PIC & F/A HAD NON- PERTINENT CONVERSATION FOR 4.5 MIN, WHILE 1ST OFFICER (F/O) WAS MAKING LOG ENTRIES. AIRPLANE STALLED IN IMC AT 17,400'. INITIAL RECOVERY WAS AT 6700' AFTER F/O LOWER GEAR, THEN DUE TO IMPROPER RECOVERY, 2ND STALL OCCURRED & RECOVERY WAS AT 5500'. LEFT PROPELLER SHED 3 BLADES, LEFT ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED, LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN IN DESCENT. LEVEL FLIGHT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED & FORCED LANDING WAS MADE AT CLOSED AIRPORT. PIC OVERSHOT FINAL TURN DUE TO CONTROLLABILITY PROBLEMS & LANDED FAST WITH 1880' OF WET RUNWAY REMAINING. AIRPLANE HYDROPLANED OFF RUNWAY & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. CREW GOT LIMITED SLEEP DURING 3 DAY TRIP, THOUGH REST PERIODS AVAILABLE. FREEZING LEVEL NEAR 11,500', CLOUDS TOPS TO 21,000' WITH POTENTIAL FOR ICING TO 19,000'. NO PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. (SEE NTSB SUMMARY RPRT: NTSB/AAR-94/02/SUM)
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 204 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,398 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 19, 1993; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,353 lb
- Seats: 33
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW118 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIT Little Rock AR at 8:16 pm
- Destination: IAH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 144°F (62°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PBF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 12 | 15 |
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.