Piper PA-34-200T accident near Harrison, Arkansas, March 4, 1984
On March 4, 1984 at about 2:32 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N5857F, was destroyed in an accident near Harrison, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1984 · about 2:32 am local time
- Place
- Harrison, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N5857F · no longer on the register · serial 347770026
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ENCOUNTERED A THUNDERSTORM DURING A NIGHT X-COUNTRY.THE PLT WAS BEING VECTORED BY THE CONTROLLER TO AVOID THE WORST OF THE STORM. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES MEMPHIS CENTER HEARD THE ACFTS CALL SIGN SHOUTED OVER THE RADIO. FURTHER ATTEMPTS AT RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH THE ACFT MET WITH NO SUCCESS. ABOUT 7 MINUTES LATER A NEARBY RESIDENT REPORTED AN ACFT ACCIDENT TO THE SHERIFF. THE ACFT WAS FOUND THE NEXT MORNING WITH THE WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 261 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 112 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1983; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS St. Louis MO
- Destination: ADS Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from HAR, 7 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.