Piper PA-28-140 accident near Ocie, Missouri, October 21, 1995
On October 21, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6932W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocie, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the number three exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ocie, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6932W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2129C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 6,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE 'BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THEN LOSE POWER.' THE PILOT 'SELECTED A FIELD FOR EMERGENCY LANDING AND MADE AN APPROACH TO THE FIELD.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. FIELD EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE FACE OF THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER PISTON. A PIECE OF METAL WAS FOUND IMBEDDED IN THE PISTON. THE EXHAUST ROCKER ARM WAS REMOVED ON THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER REVEALING THE VALVE STEM EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH AND THE VALVE HEAD BROKEN OFF. NO OTHER ANOMALIES TO THE ENGINE WERE FOUND.
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: 145 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,238 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1995; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIH Vichy MO at 8:30 pm
- Destination: M39 Mena AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from SGF, 56 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.