Culver LFA accident near Dumas, Arkansas, October 13, 1988
On October 13, 1988 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Culver LFA, registered N34872, was destroyed in an accident near Dumas, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- October 13, 1988 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Dumas, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Culver LFA · all LFAs on the register
- Registration
- N34872 · no longer on the register · serial 280
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BACKFIRED WHILE IN A TURN AT LOW ALTITUDE. HE HEARD IT BACKFIRE TWICE MORE AND NOTICED ENGINE RUNNING AT IDLE JUST BEFORE IT CRASHED. WHEN RUNUP, THE ENGINE WOULD ATTAIN 1900 RPM, THEN BACKFIRE AND THE RPM WOULD DROP TO 600 RPM. WHEN THE MAGNETOS WERE REPLACED, THE ENGINE RAN WITHOUT PROBLEMS. TEARDOWN OF MAGNETOS FOUND BOTH DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK ASSEMBLIES WERE EXCESSIVELY CORRODED AND TWO CONTACTS IN EACH WERE MISSING. BOTH BREAKER POINTS WERE WORN BEYOND LIMITS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 846 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 776 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1988; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,305 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71M Grady AR at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from LIT, 62 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.