# Accident 20230720017039A: Piper PA-31P, Excelsior Sprin, MO, July 20, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 2023, 09:39 local time
- Place: Excelsior Sprin, MO
- Airport: Midwest National Air Center
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3638° N, 94.3219° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3638&lon=-94.3219&mi=10
- Aircraft: N200RA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N200RA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31P (registry code 7103120, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-541 series (registry code 41536, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-541-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31P
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-541 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23FA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA314) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230720017039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT TOOK OFF ON A FERRY FLIGHT TO RELOCATE THE AIRCRAFT TO KINGMAN AIRPORT/CLYDE CESSNA FIELD(9K8) KINGMAN, KANSAS TO COMPLETE AN OVERDUE ANNUAL INSPECTION. DURING TAKEOFF AND ROTATION, WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO BE OPERATING AT LESS THAN FULL POWER AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT ONCE THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED AND TOOK FLIGHT. WITNESSES FURTHER STATED THE AIRCRAFT STRUGGLED TO GAIN ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TREE LINE NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER RETRACTION OF THE LANDING GEAR, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SLOWLY GAIN ALTITUDE AND ONCE CLEAR OF THE TREES, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LEFT TURN (WEST) OUT OF SIGHT OF THE WITNESSES. THE AIRCRAFT, STILL STRUGGLING TO GAIN AND MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, IMPACTED HIGH TENSION POWER LINE GUY WIRES AND THE RIGHT WING THEN CLIPPED A TREE APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT THEN LANDED IN A BEAN FIELD WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED AND SLID ALONG THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP WHERE IT VERY QUICKLY BURST INTO FLAMES CAUSING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN23FA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA314), Jul 20, 2023: Piper PA-31P (N200RA), Kearney, MO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to operate an airplane with known fuel leaks, his failure to conduct an engine run-up before takeoff, his subsequent failure to abort the takeoff, and the mechanic’s inadequate…

## Other reports on N200RA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20000406014799I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000406014799I), Apr 6, 2000: Piper PA31P (N200RA), Olathe, KS. (-23) Aircraft declared an emergency and diverted to Johnson County Executive Airport (ojc), due to right engine smoking. Aircraft landed without incident.…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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