Cessna 172 accident near West Memphis, Arkansas, October 9, 1988
On October 9, 1988 at about 3:10 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N734BK, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Memphis, Arkansas (West Memphis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 9, 1988 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- West Memphis, Arkansas · West Memphis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N734BK · no longer on the register · serial 17268724
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS ON THE DESIGNATED FREQUENCIES DURING A NIGHT PERSONAL FLIGHT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITHOUT THE AID OF THE RUNWAY LIGHTS, AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FAR END OF THE RUNWAY SUBSEQUENTLY RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED DECLARING THE AIRPORT UNUSABLE DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS, DUE TO THE AIRPORT'S INSTALLATION OF NEW RUNWAY LIGHTS.
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: 89 hours in all; 29 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,178 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 1988; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Memphis Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from MEM, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.