M Graham Clark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Point Lookout, Missouri 65726
Monday, August 2, 2004 9:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was destroyed during a post-impact fire after it overran the end of the runway on departure. A witness to the accident reported that he heard the accident airplane on the runway "with the engine wide open." He reported that when he first saw the aircraft it was airborne and initially thought it was landing. He noted that it touched back down on the runway. He stated the "engine [was] making a lot of power" when he heard the tires begin to skid. He reported: "I saw the airplane swerve on the runway and heard the skid of tires. I then observed what appeared to be a Piper Cherokee Six turn to the right and skid off the right end of runway 11 and sink into the trees and ditch by highway 65." He estimated the aircraft's speed as 55 miles per hour at this time. A second witness stated that he saw the airplane "losing control." He reported that smoke was coming from the tires, with a "screeching sound also, like the brakes were locked up." He noted that a couple seconds later the braking stopped and "immediately there was a skidding noise like metal on the pavement. The plane then started to lean or tilt towards my direction. There was a little bounce [and] skip [and] the plane went over the end into the trees." The aircraft came to rest in a ravine, approximately 215 feet from the end of the runway. The accident site was approximately 47 feet below the runway elevation. Tire skid marks were visible beginning 929 feet from the end of the runway. The initial mark was located near the runway centerline. The marks proceeded toward the right side of the runway, eventually departing the pavement about 331 feet from the embankment at the end of the runway. After the point where the marks departed the right edge of the runway pavement, a pair of ruts was observed in the grass to the taxiway apron adjacent to the runway. Skid marks crossed the apron and continued as ruts in the gravel area between the end of the taxiway pavement and the embankment. A post-accident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies associated with a pre-impact failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure attain adequate flying speed and his delay in aborting the takeoff which resulted in premature liftoff and an overrun of the runway. Contributing factors were the descending embankment, trees and ravine.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Point Lookout
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65726
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 363722N
Event Location Longitude 0931322W
Event Location Airport M Graham Clark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PLK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.1
Degrees magnetic from airport 110
Airport Elevation 938
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 171
Weather Observation Facility ID HRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 1365
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) 2327
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17893
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1141
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-Kansas City FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4230R
NTSB Number CHI04FA205
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-40595
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 874.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Stephen D. Buchanan
Aircraft Owner Street Address Route 4 Box 865
Aircraft Owner City Mount Pleasant
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75455
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PLK
Departure City Point Lookout
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CPT
Destination City Cleburne
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 22 2005 8:26AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 3739
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --