Cessna 152 accident near Conway, Arkansas, January 28, 1996
On January 28, 1996 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757UK, was destroyed in an accident near Conway, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering for a forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall at low altitude. The gusty wind condition was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1996 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Conway, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757UK · no longer on the register · serial 15280012
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After about 75 minutes of uneventful flying, the engine RPM began to fluctuate. While attempting to adjust throttle and mixture, the pilot noticed an engine RPM 'drop into the teens.' Level flight could not be maintained. Gusty winds were encountered during a circling approach to a large, flat field. During the last descending turn, the pilot recalled that the airplane's nose was 'diving quickly toward the ground', and that the stall warning activated briefly. Witnesses said the aircraft was maneuvering slowly and low to the ground, then it descended steeply and crashed. Ground scars revealed that the aircraft impacted left wing down and about 45 degrees nose down relative to the terrain. Atmospheric conditions were not conducive for carburetor icing. Fuel samples from the aircraft and refueling source were found to be within standards. With the exception of worn/fouled spark plugs and out of tolerance valve tappet clearances, no conclusive mechanical anomalies were found. The engine was operated to 2360 RPM in a factory test cell (but the run was terminated due to vibrations induced from impact damage).
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: 49 hours in all; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,625 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 20, 1995; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BPK Mountain Home AR at 9:15 pm
- Destination: 1M1 N. Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; ovct at 700 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from LIT, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.