# Accident 19980619014359A: Piper PA28140, Winchester, MO, June 19, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 19, 1998, 11:35 local time
- Place: Winchester, MO
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5899° N, 90.5509° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5899&lon=-90.5509&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4539R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4539R-2000-03-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA208) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980619014359A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKN CIRCUMSTANCES INTO A WOODED AREA AT THE MANCHESTER CITY PARK, 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ. (.4)SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE IN A LEFT BANK CIRCLING THE PARK ABOUT 75 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, ONE WITNESS THOUGHT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE TREES PRIOR TO THE DESCENT.  WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE OPERATING AT THE TIME.  THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED INTO THE TREES AND TERRAIN.  A POST IMPACT FIRE ENSUED.  INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION.                                                               (-23) UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT THE FOLLOWING WAS OBSERVED: THE PASSENGER SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE WAS DESTROYED BY THE POST ACCIDENT FIRE. THE AFT PORTION OF THE FUSELAGE INCLUDING THE EMPENNAGE SURVIVED THE FIRE. THE EMPENNAGE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED BY IMPACT WITH TREES. THE PROPELLER BOLTS WERE SNAPPED OFF AND THE PROPELLER WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE PROP FLANGE. THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 50-60% OF THE ENGINE EXPOSED, THE REST OF THE ENGINE WAS BURIED IN THE GROUND. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER HAD NOT REMOVED THE                                       PILOT. AFTER THE REMAINS WERE REMOVED, THE AIRPLANE WAS CHECKED FOR ALL PARTS. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND ABOUT 30 YARDS BEHIND THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR FAIRING WAS FOUND ABOUT 80-100 YARDS BEHIND THE AIRPLANE. THESE PARTS WERE APPARENTLY KNOCKED OFF BY IMPACT WITH THE TREES SURROUNDING THE AIRPLANE. ALL FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES WERE EXAMINED. THEY EXHIBITED FAILURE CAUSED BY RAPID STRETCHING STRESS OR THE ASSOCIATED HARDWARE ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME FAILED DUE TO THE IMPACT FORCES. (CONTINUED); NO ATTACHMENT.

## 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 CHI98LA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA208), Jun 19, 1998: Piper PA-28-140 (N4539R), Winchester, MO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's low altitude flight and failure to maintain clearance, resulting in collision with trees. A factor was trees.

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.

---
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.