Piper PA-24-250 accident near Manhattan, Kansas, October 14, 2000
On October 14, 2000 at about 6:02 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6107P, was destroyed in an accident near Manhattan, Kansas (Private airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the inadequate soft field takeoff procedure by the pilot and his failure to abort the takeoff. Factors were the high grass on the runway, the pilots disregard for the runway conditions, his lack of total experience in the aircraft, the trees, and the pilots failure to maintain clearance from the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2000 · about 6:02 pm local time
- Place
- Manhattan, Kansas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6107P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1827
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during initial climb after takeoff from a private airstrip. The runway is oriented in a predominantly north/south direction, and is about 1600 feet in length. The takeoff was executed to the north. The ferry flight was being conducted for the purpose of relocating the aircraft so that maintenance could be performed. A postaccident examination of the accident scene revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition with respect to the aircraft. The grass strip runway was found to have 3-4 inch long grass. The length of the runway was found to be about 0.3 miles long by driving its length with an automobile. A videotape of the accident flight shows that during the takeoff roll the aircraft tail was drug along the runway twice. After initially becoming airborne, the aircraft settled back onto the runway before becoming airborne again. The airplane started an increasingly steep bank to the right before contacting the trees at the departure end of the runway. In a written statement, the pilot said, "We took off down runway-900-ft-hit ruts airplane bounced into air-held nose down to build airspeed-ro[t]ated to late hit trees." In his written report, the pilot listed no mechanical malfunction. In the report, the pilot listed his flight experience in this make and model of aircraft as "None".
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,295 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT at 6:02 pm
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 142°F (61°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from MHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.