Piper PA-17 accident near N Little Rock, Arkansas, March 26, 1997
On March 26, 1997 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-17, registered N4802H, was substantially damaged in an accident near N Little Rock, Arkansas. 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
loss of engine power due to failure of the crankshaft. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1997 · about 11:30 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- N Little Rock, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-17 · all PA-17s on the register
- Registration
- N4802H · registry record · serial 17-118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, at about 1500 feet MSL, the engine 'developed roughness and knocking noises.' The engine quit developing power while the airplane was over a residential area. During a forced landing to an 'unfinished' road, the airplane's right wing impacted a small pine tree, which spun the airplane around. The left wing struck another tree before the airplane came to a stop. Both wings were damaged, and the lower rear longeron in the fuselage was bent. Examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed that the engine crankshaft had fractured 'between the throws for the #1 and #2 rods.' The camshaft was also 'broken in half by the #1 throw.' Time since the last engine overhaul was 108.7 hours.
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: 171 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 1,135 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1M1 No. Little Rock AR at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N4802H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4802H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-17 Vagabond 97 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental A65-8 137 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Arkansas 1,582 since 1982 · 177 in the last ten years
- Arkansas 3,494 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N4802H 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW97LA141.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.