Piper PA-38-112 N2604N

Summary

On 24 March 1989 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N2604N, operated by Barrett Aviation, was involved in an accident near Mayflower, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 March 1989 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mayflower, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

34.9706, -92.4100

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N2604N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Barrett Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

N. Little Rock → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC89FA083

2 people died.

THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VS), AND INADVERTANT ENTRY INTO A STALL WITH NECESSARY REMEDIAL ACTION NOT UNDERSTOOD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STU PILOT AND HIS STU PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE FLYING LOW OVER THE ARKANSAS RIVER AS OBS BY TWO EYEWITNESSES LOCATED IN A BOAT IN A COVE NEAR THE EAST BANK OF THE RIVER. THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FOR A BRIEF TIME UNTIL IT AGAIN WAS SPOTTED, APPROACHING DIRECTLY AT THEM AT LOW ALTITUDE FROM THE NORTHEAST ALONG THE FINGER COVE. THE EYEWITNESSES STATED THE ACFT FLEW DIRECTLY OVERHEAD AND PULLED UP SHARPLY INTO A CLIMB. AT THE TOP OF THE CLIMB THE RIGHT WING STALLED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY NOSE DOWN UNTIL HITTING THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY SANK IN 30 FEET OF WATER BEFORE IT COULD BE REACHED. THE STU HAD RECENTLY BEEN RELEASED FOR SOLO TRNG FLTS AND HAD ASKED IF PASSENGERS WERE ALLOWED. THE STU WAS INSTRUCTED THAT NO PASSENGERS COULD BE ALONG. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL DEFECT OF FLIGHT CONTROLS OR AIRCRAFT ENG COMPONENTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.