Piper PA-28-140 accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, August 26, 1987
On August 26, 1987 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5683U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 26, 1987 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5683U · registry record · serial 2826480
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FUELED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 20 GALLONS OF 100LL FOR HIS FLIGHT TO HOT SPRINGS, AR. FORTY MILES FROM HOT SPRINGS THE LEFT FUEL TANK INDICATED EMPTY AND THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK. APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM HOT SPRINGS, THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK. THE ENGINE RAN FOR A SHORT TIME AND QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN RESTARTING THE ENGINE AND LOOKED FOR A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT SELECTED A HIGHWAY; HOWEVER, LATE IN THE APPROACH SPOTTED TREES AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT NEAR THE TREE TOPS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 1,199 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,518 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 6, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HDI Cleveland TN at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.