Piper PA-28-140 accident near Texarkana, Arkansas, October 18, 1993
On October 18, 1993 at about 1:23 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N98143, was destroyed in an accident near Texarkana, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE EXISTING WEATHER, HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1993 · about 1:23 am local time
- Place
- Texarkana, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N98143 · no longer on the register · serial 28-26070
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THERE IS NO RECORD THAT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE 306 MILE NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. APPROX 127 MILES FROM THE POINT OF DEPARTURE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN. CONVECTIVE SIGMETS AND AIRMETS WERE IN EFFECT FOR THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTED TO BE 200-300 FT OVERCAST, WITH VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 3 MI IN FOG. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWS THAT THE AVERAGE ALTITUDE OF THE FLIGHT WAS 1,500 FT MSL. ON THE LAST RADAR CONTACT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 800 FT. THE ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 400 FT.
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: 125 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1M1 Little Rock AR
- Destination: F71 Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from TXK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.