Piper PA-32-300 accident near Festus, MO
On July 15, 1995, a Piper PA-32-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Festus, MO. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 15, 1995
- Place
- Festus, MO
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.221°N, 90.400°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03881
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 15, 1995, at 1510 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32- 300, N82CA, was destroyed when it impacted trees during takeoff in Festus, Missouri. The private pilot sustained serious injury and the three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The personal, 14 CFR Part 91 flight was planned to the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, St. Louis, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. Several witnesses who observed the taxi, runup, and takeoff, reported that the engine was backfiring and "snapping" out of the exhaust pipe during the runup. They reported that the engine sounded as if it was not developing full power. One witness reported that he believed the pilot would abort the takeoff and was surprised when the airplane continued. One witness reported that the airplane became airborne within approximately the last 50 feet of the runway. It "dipped after takeoff, climbed slightly, dipped once more, climbed barely to tree top level and then sank out of sight over the treetops." In his written statement the pilot reported that the engine oil dip stick was warm when he checked it during his preflight inspection. He queried the mechanic who had been working on the airplane completing the annual inspection of the airplane, and was advised that they had just completed an engine run. The engine was backfiring during the engine start and taxi. He asked the mechanic, who was also a passenger in the airplane, "is that a problem?" The mechanic responded that "it was not a problem because they had just completed the engine run." The p
Probable cause
an improper annual inspection, the fouled spark plugs, the arcing magneto distributor, and the pilot's attempt to take off with known deficiencies.
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Browse: Missouri · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
