North American AT-6D accident near Earle, Arkansas, June 17, 1989
On June 17, 1989 at about 2:10 pm local time, a North American AT-6D, registered N3931S, was destroyed in an accident near Earle, Arkansas (Mcneely airport). 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION AND OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS FLYING ABILITY, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE. THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND AIRPEED WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1989 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Earle, Arkansas · Mcneely · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6D · all AT-6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3931S · no longer on the register · serial 51811
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING HIS ROUTINE FOR AN AIR SHOW THAT WAS TO OCCUR LATER THE SAME DAY. ONE WITNESS RPRTD THE ACFT APCHD THE ARPT FROM THE WEST 'LOW & SLOW' AS IF TO LAND, THEN IT WAS MANEUVERED TO AN INVERTED ATTITUDE OVER RWY 8 AT 50 TO 100 FT AGL. AFTER REMAINING INVERTED FOR A SHORT TIME, THE ACFT WAS ROLLED BACK TO AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. HOWEVER, AS THE ACFT ROLLED UPRIGHT, IT ANGLED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, DESCENDED & CRASHED ON A HDG OF 140 DEG. THE WITNESS SAID THE ACFT SEEMED TO 'SLIP' SIDEWAY AS IT ROLLED TO THE UPRIGHT PSN BEFORE CRASHING. AFTER IMPACT, A FIRE ERUPTED & THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. THE PLT WAS A FORMER ASTRONAUT THAT WAS EMPLOYED BY NASA. HE HAD VISITED WITH A PROMINANT AT-6 PLT & HAD EXPRESSED SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE AT-6 PLT'S ROUTINE INVOLVING INVERTED FLT. THE AT-6 PLT HAD PROVIDED INFO, BUT ADZD THE ASTRONAUT AGAINST PERFORMING ROLLS IN THE AT-6 AT LOW ALT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 42 in the last 30 days; 878 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1988; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,340 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,200 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from MEM, 28 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.