Piper PA-28 accident near Bolivar, Missouri, June 3, 1989
On June 3, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N3952K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bolivar, Missouri (Bolivar 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE TALL GRASS, INADEQUATE RUNWAY MAINTENANCE, AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bolivar, Missouri · Bolivar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N3952K · registry record · serial 28-23829
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE BEGAN A SOFT/SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE DUE TO TALL GRASS AND FIELD CONDITIONS. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF WHEN HE BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT REACH FLYING SPEED. HE TRIED TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE HITTING TREES NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY, BUT WAS UNABLE.
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: 194 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 141 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,578 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 19, 1988; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H29 at 7:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,490 ft by 255 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from SGF, 30 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.