Piper PA-28-140 accident near Columbia, Missouri, May 20, 1982
On May 20, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6527W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, Missouri (E.W.Cotton Woods Memorial 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, Missouri · E.W.Cotton Woods Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6527W · registry record · serial 28-20606
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DUE TO ABNORMAL ENGINE SOUNDS THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT BE STOPPED ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND ROLLED INTO A DITCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE ALL THE WATER IN THE FUEL BY DRAINING THE SUMPS.
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: 80 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K24 Columbia MO
- Destination: K24 Columbia MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.