# NTSB CEN25LA252: Beech 35, N3181V, Cedarcreek, MO, July 13, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 12, 2025, 19:45 local (Jul 13, 2025, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Cedarcreek, MO - Coordinates: 36.578953, -92.997675 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5790&lon=-92.9977&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Kansas City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200541 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA252 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200541/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200541 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA252 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to attain a proper airspeed and climb attitude during takeoff, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident were the student pilot’s lack of experience and poor judgement. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1151502), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=1151502), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=1151502), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031000): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031000/cases.md?model=1151502), [All aircraft, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031000/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1151502), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 35, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=1151502), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a personal flight, the student pilot, with a passenger, attempted a takeoff from a private grass airstrip that was 2,000 ft in length. The runway had an upward slope during its initial 1,000 ft with the steepest slope occurring during its initial 700 ft. A witness stated that the engine sounded normal and the airplane’s acceleration was slow during the uphill takeoff roll. The airplane lifted off about 900 ft down the runway and entered a nose-high attitude followed by what appeared to be an aerodynamic stall. The airplane descended, impacted terrain, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by extending the wing flaps after considering a change in density altitude. The Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Chapter 6, stated that the use of wing flaps is predicated on whether a takeoff is from a short/soft field. Two of the student pilot’s flight instructors stated that they advised the student pilot not to use the accident airplane to learn how to fly. Both flight instructors used a Piper PA-28-140, in preparation for the student pilot to fly solo. One of the flight instructors said that a Piper PA-28-140 was more appropriate to learn in, and the student pilot tended to aggressively get the airplane airborne during takeoff. There were no pilot logbook(s) that were provided showing that the student pilot had current student pilot endorsement(s) to fly the accident airplane and to fly to/from the airstrip. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3181V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3181V), registered now, S/N D-616, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 35 - Registry model: [Beech 35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35) (registry code 1151502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental E185 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (registry code 17014, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: D-616 - Year built: 1947 - Engines: Continental E185 165 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Airport: Private, runway 360, 2,000 × 40 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 52 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 4 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.99 inHg - Observed at: COU, 7 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250712020439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250712020439A), Jul 12, 2025: Beech 35, Cedar Creek, MO, Destroyed. During a personal flight, the student rated pilot, with a passenger, attempted a takeoff from a private grass airstrip that was 2,000 ft in length. The runway… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 18, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200541. 29.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19209240&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 494 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19220019&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RE_%20N3181V%20Rachelle%20Bridges%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� record of correspondence from FAA inspector (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19219864&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Template%20FAA%20Record%20of%20Correspondence-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� record of conversation with FAA inspector (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19219700&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Template%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Pilot logbook excerpts (item 5, PDF, 9 pages, 26.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19210866&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Logs%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Email from student pilot regarding student pilot endorsements (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19210969&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Re_%20Recent%20Student%20Pilot%20Endorsements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 923 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19211249&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.