Piper PA-24-250 accident near Centerville, Missouri, July 2, 2010
On July 2, 2010 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5798P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Centerville, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot not using carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2010 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Centerville, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5798P · registry record · serial 24-878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained a loss of engine power in cruise flight at 6,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot observed the propeller RPMs increase and then noticed the engine was not producing full power. He selected both main fuel tanks and turned on the electric fuel pump. The airplane impacted a tree during the forced landing, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination of the wreckage, which included an engine operational test run, revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction. The recorded temperature, dew point, and calculated values aloft were plotted on an icing chart and their intersection fell in the “serious icing (glide power)” range. The airplane Owner’s Handbook for emergency procedures during an engine failure indicated, in part, that the pilot should apply carburetor heat. The pilot reported that he did not use carburetor heat following the loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,002 hours in all; 447 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,662 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I73 Dayton OH at 3:40 pm
- Destination: BBG Branson MO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from SGF, 112 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.