Amateur-built SMYTHE SIDEWINDER accident near El Dorado, Arkansas, July 6, 1996
On July 6, 1996 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SMYTHE SIDEWINDER, registered N112AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Dorado, Arkansas (El Dorado Downtown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to attain the correct touchdown point. Factors were: hydroplaning due to the wet runway, and the berm in the overrun area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1996 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- El Dorado, Arkansas · El Dorado Downtown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SMYTHE SIDEWINDER SMYTHE SID
- Registration
- N112AM · no longer on the register · serial 212254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that there had been a rain shower at the airport about 15 minutes prior to his arrival. He landed the airplane long on runway 18, and when he applied the brakes, the airplane began to hydroplane. The pilot also reported that he did not perform a go-around 'due to slow retract time on speed brake coupled with low speed and short runway.' The airplane overran the end of the runway, struck the berm, and came to rest inverted. The berm had been left about 18 feet past the end of the runway from prior construction.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,756 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 3,680 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 1995; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7M1 Mcgehee AR at 3:35 pm
- Destination: F43
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from ELD, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.