Piper PA32RT-300 accident near Mansfield, Arkansas, April 17, 1990
On April 17, 1990 at about 2:09 pm local time, a Piper PA32RT-300, registered N2208N, was destroyed in an accident near Mansfield, Arkansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CEILINGS, RAIN, AND TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED AT LOW ALTITUDE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT TRAINING/EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1990 · about 2:09 pm local time
- Place
- Mansfield, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32RT-300 · all PA32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2208N · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7985073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS BRIEFED BY THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR A VFR, NO-FLIGHT-PLAN FLIGHT. IN FLIGHT, THE PILOT RECEIVED A BRIEFING FROM AN AFSS AND WAS TOLD THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. PILOT INFORMED CENTER THAT HE WAS CLIMBING TO 7,000 FEET TO STAY ON TOP. WHEN HE WAS APPROACHING HIS DESTINATION, HE INFORMED APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE WAS ON TOP OF AN OVERCAST AND WAS TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO GET DOWN. AFTER RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST WITH THIS AIRPLANE. ANOTHER APPROACH CONTROLLER OBSERVED A SLOW MOVING PRIMARY RADAR TARGET SOUTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, BUT AFTER IT WAS LOST, HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE ITS LAST KNOWN LOCATION, OR ITS IDENTITY. AIRPLANE WAS IN NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE AT TREE IMPACT, THEN NEAR 60 DEGREE DOWN PATH TO TERRAIN. DAMAGE TO TREES, AND PROPELLER INDICATE ENGINE POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT IMPACT. WX IN AREA NOT KNOWN. WX STUDY SHOWS FORECAST OF HEAVY RAIN, REDUCED VISIBILITIES, MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW CLOUDS.
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: 3,200 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 867 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1990; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BPT Beaumont TX at 11:39 am
- Destination: FSM Ft. Smith AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,300 ft; scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from FSM, 24 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.
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.