Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Fayetteville, Arkansas, August 19, 1995
On August 19, 1995 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N47423, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fayetteville, Arkansas (Drake Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR DUE TO THE FAILURE OF AN EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION VALVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1995 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, Arkansas · Drake Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N47423 · registry record · serial 32R-7880006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED AN UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION WHEN HE EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION FOLLOWING A 4 HOUR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT CONFIRMED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS UNLOCKED AND PARTIALLY EXTENDED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY FOLLOWING THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURES TO NO AVAIL. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE GRASS TO THE EAST OF THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WITH THE NOSE GEAR AND LEFT MAIN GEAR EXTENDED AND THE RIGHT GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE LOCKED GEARS, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED AND SKIDDED FOR 1,300 FEET PRIOR TO COMING TO A STOP. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILED TO FULLY EXTEND AND LOCK. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION VALVE MALFUNCTIONED.
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: 2,455 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,410 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1995; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PFN Panama City FL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: FYV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from FYV, 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.