Pietenpol AIR CAMPER B4A accident near Horatio, Arkansas, September 6, 1989
On September 6, 1989 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Pietenpol AIR CAMPER B4A, registered N10GF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horatio, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN CARBURETOR ICE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1989 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Horatio, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pietenpol AIR CAMPER B4A AIR CAMPER
- Registration
- N10GF · registry record · serial FP-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING A CROSS COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY ENGINE ABNORMALITIES OR MALFUNCTIONS. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR CARBURETOR ICING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 4,500 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M18 Hope AR at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 80F Antlers OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from TXK, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC89LA192.