- Date
- June 3, 1989, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bolivar, MO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3952KPiper PA-28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890603015539A
- Case key
- 34802
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper planning/decision by the pilot and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Contributing factors were the tall grass, inadequate runway maintenance, and trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3952K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-23829
- Airframe hours
- 2,578
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ferguson, Larry
- Registered owner
- Ferguson, Larry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 19, 1988 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- H29
- Airport
- H29 · Bolivar, runway 19, 2,490 × 255 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 194 total · 54 in this make and model · 141 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF, 30 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.