Aero Commander 100-180 accident near Lowell, Arkansas, July 15, 1988
On July 15, 1988 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Aero Commander 100-180, registered N3738X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lowell, Arkansas. 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
- July 15, 1988 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lowell, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 100-180 · all 100-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3738X · no longer on the register · serial 5047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. HE REDUCED THE POWER TO 2000 RPM & ENRICHED THE MIXTURE. HE CONTINUED FLYING FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR, THEN THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A FRONTAGE ROAD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH IT. THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN ON ROUGH TERRAIN JUST SHORT OF THE ROAD. AN EXAM REVEALED THE EXHAUST & INTAKE VALVES AT THE #4 CYLINDER HAD STUCK.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 1,125 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,109 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MO85 Harrisonville MO at 3:30 pm
- Destination: ASG Springdale AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.