Morane-Saulnier F1-156C accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, February 27, 1988
On February 27, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Morane-Saulnier F1-156C, registered N44FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas (Grider airport). It was a personal 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
- February 27, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas · Grider · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Morane-Saulnier F1-156C
- Registration
- N44FS · registry record · serial 43
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT, WHILE HAND-PROPPING THE ACFT FOR A PERSONAL FLT, STARTED THE ENGINE. THE COCKPIT WAS UNATTENDED. HE WAS ASSISTED BY TWO GROUND CREWMEMBERS THAT WERE HOLDING ONTO THE WING STRUTS. AFTER STARTING, THE ENGINE PROGRESSIVELY DEVELOPED MORE POWER, AND THE GROUND CREW WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT'S FWD MOVEMENT. THE ACFT STRUCK A LIGHT POST, THEN A HANGAR DOOR. ONE GROUND ASSISTANT FELL WHILE TRYING TO RESTRAIN THE ACFT AND SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE PLT SAID HE NEGLECTED TO SECURE THE ENGINE'S THROTTLE FRICTION LOCK.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,812 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 1988; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,910 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Argus AS-10E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 84F Tulsa OK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:30 am
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.