Piper PA-32-300 accident near Harrison, Arkansas, November 29, 1986
On November 29, 1986 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4031R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrison, Arkansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- November 29, 1986 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Harrison, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4031R · no longer on the register · serial 32-40327
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ROUTINE BUSINESS FLT HAD PROGRESSED NORMALLY UNTIL APPROACHING BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS. THE PIC RPTD HIS ENG RAN ROUGH FOR A VERY BRIEF PERIOD AND QUIT. EMERG PROCEDURES WERE CONDUCTED BUT A RESTART WAS IMPOSSIBLE. ONLY 1.5 HRS OF FLT HAD TRANSPIRED SINCE THE LAST REFUEL. AN INSP OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO DRIVE BEARING HAD SIEZED AND THE DRIVE GEAR HAD SHEARED TOTALLY DISABLING THE MAG. THE OTHER MAG HAD FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. SUBSEQUENT TESTING OF THE OTHER MAG SHOWED INTERMITTENT OPERATION AND ARCING OF THE POINTS. THE ACFT WAS INSP 6 MOS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,889 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,530 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1986; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Huntsville AL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: H00 Bentonville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.