Piper PA-28-140 accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, November 11, 1989
On November 11, 1989 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N95177, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pine Bluff, Arkansas. 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
AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1989 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N95177 · registry record · serial 28-25834
- 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 SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED IN A RICE FIELD ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF ABOUT ONE GALLON OF WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE ACFT HAD JUST BEEN REFUELED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
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: 149 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command; 20 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBF Pine Bluff AR at 2:25 pm
- Destination: TUL Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PBF, 360 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.