Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Kansas City, Missouri, June 30, 2005
On June 30, 2005 at about 10:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N21835, was destroyed in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri (Kansas City Downtown airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining climb airspeed leading to the airplane's impact with the fence and terrain during takeoff. Factors in the accident were the pilot's inaccurate preflight planning calculations, the fence, and the levee.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2005 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · Kansas City Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N21835 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7885262
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, on a non-scheduled domestic cargo flight, was destroyed on impact with a fence and levee on takeoff from runway 21. The pilot stated, "About 10 seconds after liftoff, aircraft started to descend. Impacted levee at end of runway, skidded over and came to rest on other side." The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The air traffic controller on duty said that the winds were 310 degrees at 06 knots and further stated, "I observed [aircraft] backtaxi to [taxiway] Golf intersection of runway 21, turn around, and start departure roll. [Aircraft] was observed rotating abeam the highspeed taxiway." The pilot had private pilot privileges for single-engine land airplanes. The pilot took and passed an FAA Airman Competency/Proficiency Check in the same make and model single-engine airplane about two months prior to the accident. The pilot was found satisfactory in the examined flight maneuvers during that check ride. The airplane accumulated 0.1 hour since the 100-hour inspection. The pilot reported the weight of the cargo to be about 350 pounds and his calculated takeoff weight to be about 2,974 pounds. The cargo was removed from the wreckage and the cargo weighed 608 pounds. The post-accident calculated weight for the flight was 3,575 pounds. The airplane had a maximum gross weight of 3,600 pounds. The calculated takeoff ground roll distance for the flight was 2,200 feet and the calculated takeoff distance over a 50 foot obstacle was 4,000 feet. The runway distance available at intersection Golf on runway 21 was about 4,350 feet. Railroad, levee, and displaced thresholds are listed in the remarks for runway 3/21. Using the air traffic controller's reported winds, the calculated tailwind on runway 21 was one knot. The calculated headwind for runway 3 was one knot. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,421 hours in all; 244 in this make and model; 244 in the last 90 days; 102 in the last 30 days; 10,109 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,715 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2005; 0.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Safewing Aviation Company INC
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 10:30 am
- Destination: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 5,050 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from MKC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.