Beech BE-77 accident near Arkadelphia, Arkansas, January 20, 1987
On January 20, 1987 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Beech BE-77, registered N6636H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arkadelphia, Arkansas (Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
- January 20, 1987 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Arkadelphia, Arkansas · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-77
- Registration
- N6636H · no longer on the register · serial WA-32
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS LANDING AT THE HOME AIRPORT AFTER HER SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. IT ROLLED ACROSS A GRASSY AREA AND THEN WENT INTO A LARGE WATER/MUDHOLE. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE DIRT BANK ON THE SIDE OF THE HOLE. THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED FORWARD TO THE INVERTED POSITION.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,222 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 8, 1987; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RSN Ruston LA at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 4,045 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from LIT, 58 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N6636H 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.