Piper PA-30 N7868Y
18 July 2005 · Aurora, Missouri, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 18 July 2005 at about 14:07 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N7868Y, operated by Kevin Patrick Saffold, was involved in an accident near Aurora, Missouri, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 14:07
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Aurora, Missouri, United States
- Nearest airport
- Aurora Municipal Airport (2H2)
- Coordinates
- 36.9531, -93.6950
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30
- Registration
- N7868Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Kevin Patrick Saffold
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Aurora → Gilbertsville
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI05FA189
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot not maintaining adequate airspeed and aircraft control during initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin at a low altitude. A factor to the accident was the pilot operating the airplane over its certified maximum gross weight.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The multiengine airplane impacted terrain shortly after taking off from runway 18 (3,002 feet by 60 feet, asphalt). The surviving passenger reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane seemed "sluggish" and "wasn't picking up speed." After liftoff, the airplane's "stall alarm" sounded as the airplane crossed over a tree line which was situated south of the airport. The pilot "slightly leveled" the airplane and the "stall alarm" silenced momentarily before sounding again. The passenger stated that the right wingtip "went up high and the nose went down" simultaneously when the stall warning horn sounded for the second time. The airplane impacted about 1,900 feet south of the departure end of the runway in a vacant grass field. The on-scene investigation did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane or its associated systems. At the time of the accident, the airplane was approximately 177 lbs over its certified maximum gross weight. Winds reported at a nearby airport were 220 degrees true at 8 knots.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-30 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jan 2005 | Piper PA-30 | Millville, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jan 2005 | Piper PA-30 | Charleston, South Carolina, United States | Archie Theadore Simpson | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Dec 2005 | Piper PA-30 | Raymond, Mississippi, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 17 Jan 2004 | Piper PA-30 | Clearwater, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 May 2004 | Piper PA-30 | Evanston, Wyoming, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 4 Apr 2004 | Piper PA-30 | Fernandina Bch, Florida, United States | David P. Mack | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Dec 2005 | Elliott Quad City Ultralight CHALLENGER II | California, Missouri, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 2005 | Cessna 150G | Mountain View, Missouri, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Oct 2005 | Bellanca 7ECA | Cuba, Missouri, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 2005 | Cessna 188 | Mexico, Missouri, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 May 2005 | Cessna 182F | Osage Beach, Missouri, United States | Thomas S. Gittemeier, Jr. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jun 2005 | Piper PA-28-181 | Raymore, Missouri, United States | Kansas City Aviation Center | No injuries | - |