Piper PA-32-300 accident near Point Lookout, Missouri, August 2, 2004
On August 2, 2004 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4230R, was destroyed in an accident near Point Lookout, Missouri (M Graham Clark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure attain adequate flying speed and his delay in aborting the takeoff which resulted in premature liftoff and an overrun of the runway. Contributing factors were the descending embankment, trees and ravine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2004 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Point Lookout, Missouri · M Graham Clark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4230R · no longer on the register · serial 32-40595
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed during a post-impact fire after it overran the end of the runway on departure. A witness to the accident reported that he heard the accident airplane on the runway "with the engine wide open." He reported that when he first saw the aircraft it was airborne and initially thought it was landing. He noted that it touched back down on the runway. He stated the "engine [was] making a lot of power" when he heard the tires begin to skid. He reported: "I saw the airplane swerve on the runway and heard the skid of tires. I then observed what appeared to be a Piper Cherokee Six turn to the right and skid off the right end of runway 11 and sink into the trees and ditch by highway 65." He estimated the aircraft's speed as 55 miles per hour at this time. A second witness stated that he saw the airplane "losing control." He reported that smoke was coming from the tires, with a "screeching sound also, like the brakes were locked up." He noted that a couple seconds later the braking stopped and "immediately there was a skidding noise like metal on the pavement. The plane then started to lean or tilt towards my direction. There was a little bounce [and] skip [and] the plane went over the end into the trees." The aircraft came to rest in a ravine, approximately 215 feet from the end of the runway. The accident site was approximately 47 feet below the runway elevation. Tire skid marks were visible beginning 929 feet from the end of the runway. The initial mark was located near the runway centerline. The marks proceeded toward the right side of the runway, eventually departing the pavement about 331 feet from the embankment at the end of the runway. After the point where the marks departed the right edge of the runway pavement, a pair of ruts was observed in the grass to the taxiway apron adjacent to the runway. Skid marks crossed the apron and continued as ruts in the gravel area between the end of the taxiway pavement and the embankment. A post-accident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies associated with a pre-impact failure.
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: 220 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 59 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 874.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PLK Point Lookout MO at 2:50 pm
- Destination: CPT Cleburne TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 3,739 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from HRO, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.