Piper PA-28-180 accident near Mena, Arkansas, November 16, 1987
On November 16, 1987, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9131J, was destroyed in an accident near Mena, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 16, 1987
- Place
- Mena, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9131J · no longer on the register · serial 283181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON THE DAY OF THIS ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A WELL-PUBLICIZED WEATHER SYSTEM AFFECTING THE WEATHER ALONG THE PILOT'S ROUTE: WARM MOIST GULF AIR WAS MOVING NORTHWARD TOWARD A COLD FRONT THAT EXTENDED FROM MEXICO TO CANADA. RESIDENTS IN THE AREA SAID THE REGION HAD LOW CEILINGS, LOW VISIBILITY AND THUNDERSTORMS. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THE PILOT CONTACTED ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY FOR PREFLIGHT WEATHER INFORMATION. THE AIRPLANE FLEW ALMOST STRAIGHT AND LEVEL INTO TREES AND TERRAIN AT THE 2600-FOOT LEVEL ON FOURCH MOUNTAIN, NORTH OF MENA, ARKANSAS.
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: 750 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,226 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1987; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGR Paragould AR at 10:52 pm
- Destination: Ft Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.