Piper PA-36-400 accident near Altheimer, Arkansas, June 16, 1990
On June 16, 1990 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-400, registered N57706, was substantially damaged in an accident near Altheimer, Arkansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE LANDING WITH A TAILWIND. COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS NOT CONSIDERED AND SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1990 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Altheimer, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-400 · all PA-36-400s on the register
- Registration
- N57706 · no longer on the register · serial 36-7660032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND DOWN WIND ON A PRIVATE SOD STRIP, DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT LOST DIRECTION CONTROL, GROUND-LOOPED, THEN VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL WITH BRAKING, BUT FELT THAT HE HAD NO BRAKES. INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY BRAKE MALFUNCTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 926 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days; 810 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: AG Air INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N57706 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.