Piper PA-24-180 accident near Grandview, Missouri, November 3, 1985
On November 3, 1985 at about 9:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N7067P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grandview, Missouri (Richards-Gebaur airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 3, 1985 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- Grandview, Missouri · Richards-Gebaur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7067P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS PILOT WAS MAKING A TAKEOFF FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT IN HIS PIPER PA-24. HE STATED THAT HE WAS AIRBORNE WHEN HE RAISED THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH BUT THE AIRPLANE SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY. PILOT SAID HE BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN BUT COULD NOT GET A SAFE INDICATION. AFTER USING EMERGENCY EXTENSION, HE WAS STILL UNABLE TO GET A DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION SO HE ELECTED AND EXECUTED A LANDING ON THE GRASS ALONGSIDE THE RUNWAY. THE GEAR COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN.
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: 7,060 hours in all; 2,700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from GVW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.