Piper PA-28-181 accident near Oil Trough, Arkansas, March 22, 1986
On March 22, 1986 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N30561, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oil Trough, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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 22, 1986 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Oil Trough, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N30561 · registry record · serial 7990096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC FOUND HIMSELF LOW ON FUEL WITH AN INDICATION OF ONLY 5 GALLONS IN EACH TANK. HE PASSED OVER AN ARPT WITH FUELING FACILITIES AVAILABLE BUT DIVERTED TO BATESVILLE, ARKANSAS, WHICH LAY 48 MILES BEYOND HIS PRESENT POSN. THE PIC STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING EAST OF THE BATEVILLE ARPT, BUT AS THE PIC TURNED TO LAND IN A FIELD, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE ENSUING LANDING DAMAGED THE ACFT. THE PIC'S PREFLIGHT PLANNING CALCULATION WAS FOR 5.5 HOURS OF FUEL, BUT THE FLT TERMINATED AT 4.6 HOURS. INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS CONFIRMED NO FUEL. A CHECK OF THE FUEL SYSTEM GAUGES DID NOT INDICATE ANY SIGNIFICANT ERROR IN THE INDICATION. THE PIC'S PREFLIGHT PLANNING SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED FOR A PLANNED FUEL STOP BEFORE NEEDING TO USE THE RESERVE FUEL SUPPLY.
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: 79 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1985; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UES Waukesha WI at 1:55 pm
- Destination: LIT Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from JBR, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N30561 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.