Piper PA-32RT/300T N39555

Summary

On 8 December 1991 at about 17:20 local time, a Piper PA-32RT/300T registered N39555, operated by Gene E. Decker, was involved in an accident near Camdenton, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 December 1991 at 17:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Camdenton, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Camdenton (H21)

Coordinates

38.0007, -92.7408

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT/300T

Registration

N39555

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gene E. Decker

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → St. Louis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI92FA044

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR WIND CONDITIONS, NOT ABORTING THE TAKEOFF, AND INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT AFTER THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE AN INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT, NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND AFTER LIFTOFF, ON THE PART OF THE PILOT. ADDITIONAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE AND AN OVER-CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY ON BEHALF OF THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OF THE HIGH PERFORMANCE SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. UPON ARRIVAL, THE PILOT CONVERSED WITH THE AIRPORT MANAGER. THE AIRPORT MANAGER OBTAINED CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE PILOT WHICH RELATED TO AN AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES NORTHEAST. THE REPORTED WINDS WERE 200 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 31 KNOTS. THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 SHORTLY AFTER OBTAINING THE WIND INFORMATION. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES SMOKING DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. SHORTLY AFTER THIS HE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND SAW FIRE AND SMOKE. A FIREMAN WHO ARRIVED SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK POINTING IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION. THE RUNWAY DISPLAYED 1,609 FEET OF SKID MARKS MAKING A GRADUAL ARC TO THE RIGHT. THE CLEARWAY, BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY, DISPLAYED 334 FEET OF TIRE DEPRESSION AND FURROW MARKS WHICH PARALELED THE RUNWAY BEFORE TERMINATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.