Piper PA-28-180 accident near Mountain Home, Arkansas, July 17, 1996
On July 17, 1996 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N55369, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mountain Home, Arkansas (Promise Land 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
failure of the pilot to compensate for the tailwind and attain the proper touch down point. The tailwind 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
- July 17, 1996 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Home, Arkansas · Promise Land · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N55369 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7305368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot 'misjudged the landing' which was made to the north on the 2,000 foot grass runway. During the landing roll, the airplane overran the runway and collided with trees. According to the pilot, the winds were calm; however, 4 miles southeast of the accident site, the winds were reported to be from 200 degrees at 12 knots with gusts to 16 knots.
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: 195 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1996; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3AU Augusta KS at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:16 pm from BPK, 4 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.
Other NTSB records under N55369 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.