On November 27, 1997, a Mooney M20F (registration N2954L) operated by Calvin A. Bohannon was involved in an aviation accident near Stuttgart, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to activate the runway lights, which led to his selection of a closed/abandoned runway for the landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the unlatched cabin door, and the lack of lighting conditions at dusk. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported the cabin door opened in cruise 10 minutes after takeoff, causing buffeting and vibration. The pilot diverted to Stuttgart Municipal Airport but landed on a closed runway after failing to activate lights.
Incident Details
The pilot of a single-engine airplane reported that the cabin door popped open while in cruise flight approximately 10 minutes after takeoff. The pilot stated that the airplane began to buffet and vibrate, and that wind noise in the cabin made communications difficult. The pilot's 12-year-old son, seated in the right front seat, became excited and scared.
Diversion and Approach
The pilot requested a vector from Little Rock Approach Control to Stuttgart Municipal Airport to land and secure the cabin door. Upon arrival over the airport, the pilot circled to activate the pilot-controlled runway lights by clicking on frequency 122.9 MHz. However, the pilot was unable to activate any runway lights. The published frequency to activate the runway lights was UNICOM frequency 122.8 MHz.
Landing Attempt
The pilot attempted to land on a runway that had been closed and abandoned for over 10 years. The surface of that runway was reported to have been partly torn off.