Beech 95-B55 accident near Pearcy, Arkansas, January 29, 1999
On January 29, 1999 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N260LH, was destroyed in an accident near Pearcy, Arkansas (Memorial Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain the minimum descent altitude during the instrument approach. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to follow the instrument approach procedure, trees, mountainous terrain, low ceilings and foggy weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1999 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pearcy, Arkansas · Memorial Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N260LH · no longer on the register · serial TC-1426
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the global positioning system (GPS) runway 5 approach to Hot Springs Memorial Airport, in instrument meteorological conditions, the twin-engine airplane impacted mountainous terrain at 1,020 feet msl, about one nautical mile (nm) right of the final approach course, and approximately 9 nm southwest of the airport. According to the approach plate, the airplane should have been at an altitude no lower than 2,300 feet on this segment of the approach. The last radar hit recorded was at 1622:44, as the airplane was descending through 2,800 feet, 14.2 nautical miles southwest of the airport. Two witnesses located near the accident site reported that about 1630 they heard a small aircraft coming from southwest of their farm, heading towards them at a 'very low' altitude. They heard the aircraft for about 10 seconds, then the sound of the engines was 'gone.' The witnesses also reported that the weather was 'extremely foggy,' and that they could not see the top of the mountain located behind their property. The missed approach procedure for the approach calls for a climbing right turn to 3,000 feet. Examination of the accident site indicated the airplane impacted trees while in a right turn. No anomalies were found with the airframe or engines that would have prevented normal operation.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,671 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,912 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1998; 158 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HBG Hattiesburg MS at 8:16 pm
- Destination: HOT Hot Springs AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 6,595 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:19 pm from HOT, 10 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.