History of Flight
On July 13, 2023, at about 1157 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N8225N, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident in Osage Beach, Missouri. The pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot flew the airplane from its home base at the Carrollton Memorial Airport (K26), Carrollton, Missouri, to the Grand Glaize-Osage Beach Airport (K15), Osage Beach, Missouri, arriving on July 12, 2023, about 1030. According to the airport manager, the airplane did not refuel at that airport.
The purpose of the flight was to take the two passengers on a sightseeing flight to view scenery around the Lake of the Ozarks. The owner of the airplane reported that the airplane should have had about 25 gallons of fuel onboard for the flight. The surviving passenger reported that the flight was going to last about 30 minutes.
During the preflight inspection, the pilot did not mention any concerns with the airplane to the passenger. The pilot did not ask the passengers for their weights before departing, nor did he conduct a safety briefing. The pilot was seated in the front left seat, the surviving passenger in the front right seat, and the other passenger in the rear left seat. The two passengers did not use the available lap belt restraint systems. The passenger stated that he did not recall if the pilot used a checklist after they boarded or if the pilot adjusted the manual trim before or during the takeoff.
Accident Sequence
The airplane departed from runway 32 at K15. During the takeoff, according to the passenger, it seemed like the airplane was not climbing as much as it should have. The pilot appeared to be fighting the flight controls for an unknown reason. The pilot then said, “what the [expletive].” Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a “violent turn” to the right and seemed to go straight down. The turn and descent appeared to happen simultaneously. The pilot did not say anything else after that statement.
The passenger reported that he and the other passenger did not touch the flight controls at any time. He did not hear any sputtering or coughing noises from the engine during the runup or takeoff, nor did he recall seeing any cockpit lights illuminate or alarms activate. He did not recall any events after the descending right turn.
The airplane came to rest nose down near multiple large trees, about 0.55 mile from the departure end of runway 32. It sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage.
Two witnesses reported observing the airplane during the takeoff with its nose “pitched up in the air” and “the tail was lower than the nose.” Local surveillance video recordings showed the airplane in flight with a nose-up attitude.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot’s father reported that his son was scheduled to take his certificated flight instructor checkride on July 18, 2023. FAA records showed the pilot had passed the Fundamentals of Instructing examination on March 31, 2023, and the Flight Instructor Airplane examination on May 26, 2023.
The airplane owner reported no known mechanical issues. A review of airframe and engine maintenance records revealed no outstanding mechanical anomalies. The airplane had a manual trim system, with the control located on the interior roof. It was equipped with a stall warning system that includes a red light illuminating on the left side of the instrument panel between 5 and 10 mph above the stall speed.
A weight and balance calculation showed the airplane was within limitations for the accident flight. According to the Piper Cherokee 140 B Owner’s Handbook, the takeoff checklist states, “trim tab set.” The airplane was equipped with a stabilator, as opposed to a stabilizer-elevator configuration.
The estimated density altitude for the closest meteorological reporting station was 3,552 ft above mean sea level.
Investigation Findings
An examination of the airframe confirmed flight control continuity. The trim tab jackscrew was found extended above the drum, with about 17 threads exposed (about 1¾ inch), corresponding to a full nose-up stabilator trim setting. The stall warning system lift detector was intact and produced an audible “click” when actuated.
The engine crankshaft was rotated, and continuity to the rear gears and valvetrain was observed. Compression and suction were present in all four cylinders; borescope inspection revealed no anomalies. The two-blade aluminum propeller was separated from the engine, with broken propeller bolts. The propeller showed chordwise scratching on both blades; one blade had slight aft bending, the other was bent rearward about 80 degrees at about ¾ span from the root.
No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine were found that would have precluded normal operation.
An autopsy of the pilot was performed; the cause of death was blunt force injuries, manner of accident. Toxicology testing was negative for tested substances.