Piper PA-22-150 accident near Batesville, Arkansas, August 22, 1987
On August 22, 1987 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N6079D, was destroyed in an accident near Batesville, Arkansas (Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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 22, 1987 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Batesville, Arkansas · Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6079D · registry record · serial 224733
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS AT MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF. THE FIELD ELEVATION WAS 613 FEET AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 3300 FEET. THERE WERE TWO RUNWAYS AVAILABLE. RUNWAY 25 WAS 6002 FEET LONG AND HAD A SLIGHT HEADWIND FROM THE SOUTHWEST. RUNWAY 35 WAS 3320 FEET LONG AND HAD A LIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND/CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT. THE PILOT SELECTED RUNWAY 35 FOR TAKEOFF. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE FLYING 10 TO 15 FEET AGL ABOUT MIDWAY OF THE RUNWAY IN A SLIGHTLY NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE, BUT NOT CLIMBING. THE AIRPLANE WENT BELOW HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES AND HIT A LARGE TELEPHONE CABLE. IT THEN HIT ALMOST STRAIGHT DOWN ON A HIGHWAY AND STARTED BURNING.
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: 60 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Amos Aviation,Inc
The flight
- Destination: M19 Newport AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,320 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from JBR, 49 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.