Piper PA-30 N291R
27 January 1991 · Oppella, Arkansas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 27 January 1991 at about 07:30 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N291R, operated by Paul G. Jones, was involved in an accident near Oppella, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 07:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Oppella, Arkansas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Petit Jean (MPJ)
- Coordinates
- 35.1494, -92.7408
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30
- Registration
- N291R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Paul G. Jones
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Little Rock
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- FTW91FA033
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE FOLLOWING LOSS OF HIS VISUAL REFERENCES AND ALLOWING HIMSELF TO BECOME DIVERTED DURING THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE INTERRUPTED INSTRUMENT LIGHTING AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING A NIGHT DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES 65 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, APPROXIMATELY .25 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY AFTER EXECUTING A TURN LEFT OF 90 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A LAKE. THE RUNWAY IN USE FOR THE DARK NIGHT DEPARTURE WAS 20. THE RUNWAY WAS LOCATED IN A DEPRESSION ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN SHROUDED BY FOG AND CLOUDS, PROVIDING NO HORIZON FOR A VISUAL REFERENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE SWITCH WAS IN THE ON POSITION. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS FOUND POPPED. EVIDENCE OF THE PILOT STRIKING THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE SIGNIFICANT INJURIES TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TORSO AND EXTREMITIES INDICATED THE PILOT WAS REACHING DOWN WITH THE RIGHT HAND, WITH THE LEFT HAND ON THE YOKE, IN AN EFFORT TO RESET THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT'S CIRCUIT BREAKER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-30 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 May 1991 | Piper PA-30 | Big Rapids, Michigan, United States | Mecosta CTY Pilots Assn. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Nov 1991 | Piper PA-30 | Missing | Bolden, Goran S. | Fatal | 1 |
| 13 Apr 1991 | Piper PA-30 | Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, United States | Frances McCully | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-30 | Thief River Fls, Minnesota, United States | June I. Steiger | Fatal | 4 |
| 11 Sep 1991 | Piper PA-30 | Ft. Carson, Colorado, United States | Rick L. Ownes | Fatal | 1 |
| 29 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-30 | Butte, Montana, United States | Michael Lynn Heling | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jul 1991 | Cessna 150 | Searcy, Arkansas, United States | Search Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 22 Oct 1991 | Piper PA-28 | Berryville, Arkansas, United States | Snider, Richard D. | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Aug 1991 | Hughes 269A-1 | No. Little Rock, Arkansas, United States | North Little Rock Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 23 Aug 1991 | Cessna 140 | Ward, Arkansas, United States | Martin D. Odum | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Aug 1991 | Cessna 172K | Fisher, Arkansas, United States | Herbert D. Ziegenhorn | No injuries | - |
| 28 Aug 1991 | Cessna 150G | Benton, Arkansas, United States | John Wells | Serious injuries | - |