Cessna 150 accident near Coy, Arkansas, August 7, 1988
On August 7, 1988 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N8697S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coy, Arkansas. It was an instructional 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 7, 1988 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Coy, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N8697S · no longer on the register · serial 15061997
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING FOR HIS PVT PLT CHECK RIDE, THE STUDENT PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRSTRIP TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LDGS. HE LOST ALL POWER ON FINAL APPROACH, AND DUE TO AIRCRAFT ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, HE ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LDG ON AN ADJACENT SOY BEAN FIELD. THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING THE LDG ATTEMPT AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND ENGINE RUN-UP FAILED TO REVEAL CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE. METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBURETOR ICING ACCORDING TO THE 'ICING PROBABILTY CHARTS'.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 50 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PBF, 20 miles away
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.