Aero Commander 200D accident near Little Rock, Arkansas, June 13, 1997
On June 13, 1997 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Aero Commander 200D, registered N898LF, was substantially damaged in an accident near 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
a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation from a partially blocked fuel line which was the result of improper maintenance by unknown person(s). A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1997 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Little Rock, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 200D · all 200Ds on the register
- Registration
- N898LF · no longer on the register · serial 323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was flying the airplane 'across town' to get some work done on the airplane when the engine's power began to 'fall off.' The pilot further stated that he picked a field to land in, but struck a wire on short final. The airplane landed with the gear up, and the outer one-third of the right wing was bent upwards. Postcrash examination of the engine revealed a 'sliver of the inner wall of the fuel line (between the fuel control and the fuel injection manifold) protruding between the inner ferrule and the nut at the manifold orifice. The pilot had reported to the FAA Inspector that the 'fuel pressure had been erratic during flight.' The FAA Inspector reported that 'hose assemblies should be visually checked, flushed, and pressure checked prior to installation.'
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: 248 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 215 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1M1 N. Little Rock AR at 7:00 pm
- Destination: LIT AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 28,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from LIT, 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.
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.