Siai-Marchetti F.260C accident near Watson, Arkansas, April 17, 1994
On April 17, 1994 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Siai-Marchetti F.260C, registered N14FD, was destroyed in an accident near Watson, Arkansas. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM WIRES DURING LOW LEVEL FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A SEVERED AILERON CABLE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE DURING THE FLIGHT AND HIS INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING THE WIRE STRIKE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1994 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Watson, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti F.260C · all F.260Cs on the register
- Registration
- N14FD · no longer on the register · serial 235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING LOW LEVEL BETWEEN TWO SPANS OF AN OPEN RAILROAD TRESTLE WHICH SPANNED THE ARKANSAS RIVER WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH WIRES MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE TRESTLE. THE WIRE STRIKE RESULTED IN THE SEVERING OF THE RIGHT AILERON CABLE AND AN ENSUING LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LEADING, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, AND BURNED. THIS WAS A FLIGHT OF TWO AIR COMBAT DEMONSTRATION PILOTS REPOSITIONING TO THEIR HOME BASE. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS NUMBER TWO. NUMEROUS WITNESSES IN THE AREA REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANES FLYING AT 50 TO 200 FEET AGL, CHASING EACH OTHER WITH LITTLE SEPARATION.
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: 1,734 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,644 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,982 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1994; 303 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SHV Shreveport LA at 10:47 pm
- Destination: AWM West Memphis AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from PBF, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW94FA123.