Piper PA-28-140 accident near West Plains, Missouri, December 18, 1982
On December 18, 1982 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N56689, was destroyed in an accident near West Plains, Missouri (West Plains Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- December 18, 1982 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- West Plains, Missouri · West Plains Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N56689 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7425018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE PILOT HAD LANDED ON A HIGHWAY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT RAN LOW ON FUEL. HE PURCHASED 15 GAL OF AUTOMOBILE FUEL AND PUT IT IN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS. HE THEN TOOK OFF FROM THE HIGHWAY, FLEW TO AN AIRPORT AND ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 20 GAL OF 100LL, AVIATION FUEL. DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 150 TO 200 FT AGL. SUBSEQUENTLY, ONE WING WAS TORN OFF DURING A FORCED LANDING AND THE PLANE BURNED. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT USED ALL OF THE 3100 FT RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL; HOWEVER, THE FUEL LINES WERE DAMAGED AND WATER COULD HAVE ENTERED DURING THE FIRE FIGHTING OPERATIONS.
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: 1,067 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 1,049 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,990 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: H63 West Plains MO at 3:50 pm
- Destination: SGF Springfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 113°F (45°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.