Piper PA-28-140 N98143

Summary

On 18 October 1993 at about 01:23 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N98143 was involved in an accident near Texarkana, Arkansas, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 1993 at 01:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Texarkana, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N98143

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Little Rock → Fort Worth

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW94FA014

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE EXISTING WEATHER, HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THERE IS NO RECORD THAT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE 306 MILE NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. APPROX 127 MILES FROM THE POINT OF DEPARTURE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN. CONVECTIVE SIGMETS AND AIRMETS WERE IN EFFECT FOR THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTED TO BE 200-300 FT OVERCAST, WITH VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 3 MI IN FOG. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWS THAT THE AVERAGE ALTITUDE OF THE FLIGHT WAS 1,500 FT MSL. ON THE LAST RADAR CONTACT THE AIRPLANE WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 800 FT. THE ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 400 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.