Piper PA-28-140 accident near Climax Springs, Missouri, June 30, 2013
On June 30, 2013 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6674W, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Climax Springs, Missouri (Miller Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate planning and poor decision to attempt to take off on a runway from which the airplane could not obtain flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2013 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Climax Springs, Missouri · Miller Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6674W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The day prior to the accident flight, the pilot landed at the private grass airstrip that was no longer maintained. The airstrip had a 2,600 foot long runway with 2- to 3-feet tall grass the length of the runway. On the day of the accident flight, the pilot twice attempted to depart the overgrown runway using a “short-field” takeoff technique. During the first takeoff, he exceeded his predetermined “No-Go” point on the runway and aborted the takeoff. On the second takeoff, the airplane attained 60 to 65 mph and lifted off the ground, but settled back on the runway past the “No-Go” point. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it went off the end of the runway and impacted trees. The pilot reported that there was no malfunction or system failure of the airplane before the accident.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 354 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,157 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320EA2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MO99 Climax Springs MO at 7:30 pm
- Destination: K34 Gardner KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:15 pm from MO99
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.