Piper PA-18-150 accident near Moscow, Arkansas, August 10, 1985
On August 10, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9060P, was destroyed in an accident near Moscow, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- August 10, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moscow, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9060P · no longer on the register · serial 18-8953
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THREE ACFT IN A LOOSE TRAIL FORMATION AT LOW ALT NEAR THE PLT'S PVT FARM STRIP. THE LAST ACFT IN THE TRAIL POSITION (N9060P) BROKE OFF TO THE LEFT AND MADE A STEEP PULL UP. AFTER A SHORT CLIMB, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED AND THE ACFT DOVE TO THE GROUND. THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENG FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY PREIMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION.
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: 488 hours in all; 237 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PBF Pine Bluff AR at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from PBF, 7 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.