# Accident 19960619019979A: Piper PA28235, Bethalto, IL, June 19, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 19, 1996
- Place: Bethalto, IL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8996° N, 90.0404° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8996&lon=-90.0404&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16518, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16518) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28235
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96FA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96FA211) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960619019979A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ONJUNE 19, 1996, AT 1448 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY F/A-18C, BUNO NUMBER 165189, LEASED BACK AND OPERATED BY MCDONNELL DOUGLAS, WAS DESTROYED AFTER IT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN WHILE PERFORMING A REVERSE 1/2 CUBAN 8 MANEUVER FOR A PRACTICE AIRSHOW AT ST. LOUIS REGIONAL AIRPORT, ALTON, ILLINOIS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE LOCAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE PRACTICE AIRSHOW FLIGHT DEPARTED ST. LOUIS REGIONAL AIRPORT, ALTON, ILLINOIS, AT 1446 CDT. DUE TO LIMITATIONS WITHIN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THE LAST DIGIT OF THE AIRCRAFT BUNO NUMBER COULD NOT BE ADDED TO THE REGISTRATION NUMBER UNDER AIRCRAFT INFORMATION.

## 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 CHI96FA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96FA211), Jun 19, 1996: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C (N16518), Bethalto, IL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to follow the preflight crew briefing and attain a proper altitude during an aerobatic maneuver. Factors in the accident were: the pilot's previous experience of flying similar…

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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