Beech 95-B55 accident near Dumas, Arkansas, November 30, 1986
On November 30, 1986 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N783PT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dumas, Arkansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 30, 1986 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dumas, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N783PT · registry record · serial TC-808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS OPERATING VFR OUT OF FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED IMC WEATHER CLOSE TO VALDOSTA, GEORGIA. AT THIS POINT, THE PLT FURTHER STATED, HE AIR-FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN BUT ELECTED NOT TO LAND AND REFUEL. ACCORDING TO ATC INFORMATION, THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR 44NM SHORT OF STUTTGART, ARKANSAS, HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. REPORTS BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THAT A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WITH LOW IFR CONDITIONS EXISTED FROM THE MIDWESTERN PLAIN STATES TO THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND ON THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY REGION. POST-ACCIDENT CALCULATIONS REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN OPERATED OVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT DURING THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE FLIGHT AND THAT FUEL RESERVES FOR IFR OPERATIONS WERE NONEXISTENT. NO USABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT'S TANKS, AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS COULD BE DETECTED DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF BOTH POWERPLANTS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,600 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 9,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Ft. Lauderdale FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: SGT Stuttgart AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:48 pm from LIT, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.