| Crash location | 34.712778°N, 91.529723°W |
| Nearest city | Tollville, AR
34.719816°N, 91.535408°W 0.6 miles away |
| Tail number | N5735H |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 09 Jun 2015 |
| Aircraft type | Piper Pa 16 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot reported that while on short final to the unlit airstrip; during the flare, he lost sight of the runway and the airplane veered to the right, impacted a rice field, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and lift strut.
The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation
The pilot stated that the accident may have been mitigated if he would have landed on a lit runway and conducted a wheel landing instead of a three point landing, which would have allowed him to maintain a visual of the runway until his main wheels where on the ground.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane impacting a rice field and nosing over.