Cessna 172 accident near Sheridan, Arkansas, April 13, 1999
On April 13, 1999 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6404E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheridan, Arkansas (Sheridan Municipal 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 excessive landing approach speed and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1999 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Sheridan, Arkansas · Sheridan Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6404E · no longer on the register · serial 172-46504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane overran the departure end of the 3,000 foot long runway and continued on the centerline of the runway across the runway safety zone into a 60 foot wide shallow drainage ditch. Subsequently, after the nose landing wheel separated, the nose strut dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position. The flight departed the airport and proceeded to the practice area. After a few minutes in the practice area, the pilot returned to the airport and made a full stop landing on runway 01. He then elected to stay in the traffic pattern for runway 19 'to practice cross wind landings from the other direction.' The 906-hour private pilot estimated the winds as 'easterly at about 5 or 6 knots.' The pilot stated that 'he did not realize he was moving too fast until shortly before he ran off the runway.' There were no reported eyewitnesses to the accident. The 72-year-old pilot exited the airplane without outside assistance and walked to the airport manager's hangar to report the mishap.
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: 906 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9M8 at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from PBF, 22 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.