Piper PA-32-300 accident near Festus, Missouri, July 15, 1995
On July 15, 1995 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N82CA, was destroyed in an accident near Festus, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an improper annual inspection, the fouled spark plugs, the arcing magneto distributor, and the pilot's attempt to take off with known deficiencies.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1995 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Festus, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N82CA · no longer on the register · serial 32-40964
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL WITNESSES WHO OBSERVED THE TAXI, RUNUP, AND TAKEOFF, REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BACKFIRING AND 'SNAPPING' OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE DURING THE RUNUP. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BACKFIRING DURING THE ENGINE START AND TAXI. HE ASKED THE MECHANIC, WHO WAS ALSO A PASSENGER IN THE AIRPLANE, 'IS THAT A PROBLEM?' THE MECHANIC RESPONDED THAT 'IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAD JUST COMPLETED THE ENGINE RUN.' THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO HAVE 'NORMAL' ACCELERATION DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROTATION, HE 'NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ACCELERATING...AFTER CLEARING A SECOND LINE OF TREES, I PUT THE NOSE DOWN BRIEFLY TRYING TO GAIN SOME AIRSPEED, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO LOSE AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE...THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING HIT A TREE.' EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED ALL TWELVE SPARK PLUGS WERE SEVERELY WORN AND FOULED WITH LEAD AND CARBON DEPOSITS. THE RIGHT MAGNETO WAS MODERATELY FOULED WITH OIL AND HAD CARBON TRACKS IN THE DISTRIBUTOR. AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS INDICATED THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON THE DAY OF 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 320 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1995; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SUS St Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from SUS, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.