Cessna 182E accident near Clarksville, Arkansas, April 14, 1988
On April 14, 1988 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 182E, registered N9373X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarksville, Arkansas (Clarksville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- April 14, 1988 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Clarksville, Arkansas · Clarksville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N9373X · no longer on the register · serial 18253773
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT NIGHT ON A RADIO ACTIVATED RUNWAY LIGHTED AIRPORT, PIC WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS, HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE UNLIGHTED RUNWAY. HE ALIGNED ABOUT 20 YARDS RIGHT OF CENTERLINE AND LANDED ON THE SOD BORDER. DURING THE ROLL OUT HE STRUCK A DITCH, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR, THEN HITTING THE WING TIP AND PROPELLER. AIRPORT PERSONNEL HAD INADVERTENTLY DE- ACTIVATED THE RADIO CONTROLLED FUNCTION OF THE RWY LIGHTING SYSTEM.
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: 1,491 hours in all; 236 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 1,489 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK at 2:00 am
- Destination: H35 Clarksville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from FSM, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.