On January 20, 1987, a Beech BE-77 (registration N6636H) was involved in an aviation accident near Arkadelphia, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in the airplane leaving the runway and sustaining substantial damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot lost control during a solo cross-country landing, causing the aircraft to leave the runway, strike a mudhole, and flip upside down.
What happened
The accident occurred while a student pilot was conducting a solo cross-country flight and attempting to land at her home airport. During the final phase of the approach, the airplane departed the left side of the runway surface. The aircraft continued its momentum across an adjacent grassy area before entering a large water and mudhole.
Upon impacting the dirt bank on the side of the hole, the nose gear collapsed under the stress of the impact. This structural failure allowed the airplane to pitch forward violently, resulting in the aircraft flipping into an inverted position.
Probable cause
The student pilot's loss of directional control during landing, which resulted in the airplane leaving the runway and sustaining substantial damage.