On March 24, 1989, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N2604N) operated by Barrett Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Mayflower, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VS), AND INADVERTANT ENTRY INTO A STALL WITH NECESSARY REMEDIAL ACTION NOT UNDERSTOOD. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot and a passenger were flying low over the Arkansas River when the aircraft stalled after a sharp climb and descended into the water, sinking rapidly. No mechanical defects were found.
Incident Overview
A student pilot and a passenger were operating an aircraft at low altitude over the Arkansas River. Two eyewitnesses located in a boat in a cove near the east bank observed the aircraft. The aircraft briefly disappeared from view before reappearing, approaching the boat directly from the northeast at low altitude along a finger cove.
Maneuver and Stall
The eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft 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 it struck the water. The aircraft sank quickly in approximately 30 feet of water before it could be reached.
Background and Inspection
The student pilot had recently been released for solo training flights and had asked whether passengers were allowed. The student was instructed that no passengers could be carried. An inspection of the aircraft revealed no pre-existing mechanical defects in the flight controls or aircraft engine components.