Piper PA-22-150 accident near West Plains, Missouri, July 26, 1993
On July 26, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N6723B, was destroyed in an accident near West Plains, Missouri (West Plains Municipal airport). 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
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Plains, Missouri · West Plains Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6723B · no longer on the register · serial 5640
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT 150 AGL, THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE PILOT THEN TURNED THE AIRCRAFT LEFT TO AVOID SOME TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A THICKET OF 6 FOOT BUSHES AND BLACKBERRY BRIERS TO SOFTEN THE IMPACT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH AIRFRAME, ENGINE, OR ACCESSORIES.
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: 700 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: UNO at 3:30 pm
- Destination: M48 Houston MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,902 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SGF, 85 miles away
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.