# NTSB CHI02LA164: Piper PA-38-112, N2532N, St. Joseph, MO, June 14, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 2002, 19:50 local (Jun 14, 2002, 00:50 UTC) - Place: St. Joseph, MO - Coordinates: 39.771945, -94.909446 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7719&lon=-94.9094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration MKC FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54976 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA164 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54976/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54976 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA164 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to attain proper alignment with the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - proper alignment - not attained (cause) - Gear collapsed, landing - roll ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage when it contacted terrain when the airplane landed perpendicular to the runway. The witness reported the airplane almost stalled during takeoff, and then banked hard left and went right down when it was in position for a base leg turn. The inspection of the airplane revealed the aircraft contacted the ground near the approach end of the runway 17 on a base leg heading, or perpendicular to the runway. The pilot was unable to explain why he touched down perpendicular to the runway. The pilot reported, "I made a mistake. That accident was my fault. No call for what I did. No call for the landing. Should have been going down [the] runway." He reported that he could not remember many of the details concerning the accident. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2002, at 1950 central daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2532N, owned and piloted by a private pilot sustained substantial damage in a collision with terrain while attempting to land perpendicular to runway 17 (8,059 feet by 150 feet, dry/asphalt) at the Rosecrans Memorial Airport (STJ), St. Joseph, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The local flight originated at 1940 central daylight time. The pilot made a statement to the police who responded to the accident. The pilot reported he was following a King Air that was landing at the STJ. He stated that he was 1,000 feet above the King Air and that he made a left base leg to allow the other aircraft to taxi off the runway. The pilot reported that when he touched down the landing gear folded up. He stated, "I kept my nose up and made it over to the grass so I wouldn't start a fire." The police interviewed a witness who observed the accident flight. The witness reported that he observed the pilot working on the airplane for about 50 minutes prior to the flight. He reported the pilot had difficulty getting the airplane started, and that the airplane was missing badly and cutting out during the taxi for takeoff. He reported the airplane almost tail stalled during takeoff. He reported that after the King Air landed, the airplane banked hard left and went right down. He reported he could hear the engine fowling. According to an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft contacted the ground near the approach end of the runway 17 on about a 260 degree heading, or perpendicular to the runway. The airplane touched down hard about 20 feet east of the north/south parallel taxiway traveling west. The nose wheel collapsed when the airplane crossed the taxiway. The right main gear leg came off after crossing the taxiway, and the aircraft stopped about halfway between the taxiway and the runway, still heading west. In an interview with the FAA inspector, the pilot reported that he was unable to explain why he was so low while still perpendicular to the runway. The pilot reported that he attempted to make a go-around but that the engine did not respond. An inspection of the airplane revealed the engine drive train exhibited continuity and thumb compression. The magnetos produced spark. Fuel was found in the carburetor and fuel tanks. One propeller blade was bent back and the other did not exhibit leading edge damage or chordwise scratching. The pilot reported, "I made a mistake. The accident was my fault. No call for what I did. No call for the landing. Should have been going down [the] runway." The pilot reported that his blood sugar level was "really high" at the time of the accident. He reported that he could not remember many of the details concerning the accident. The pilot had not logged any training since 1982. The pilot's last flight review was on November 30, 1982. His most recent medical certificate expired on October 24, 1996. The pilot reported he had about 1,500 total hours of flight time. He had logged about 20 hours in the last 90 days. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2532N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2532N-2002-08-13), registration cancelled 2002-08-13, S/N 38-79A0902, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-38-112 - Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 38-79A0902 - Airframe hours: 9043 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jack W. Martin - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 2, 2002, 14 hours before - Departed: STJ, St. Joseph, MO - Destination: STJ, St. Joseph, MO - Airport: STJ, Rosencrans Memorial, runway 17, 8,059 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: unknown, expired; last flight review November 30, 1982; seat: left; flight hours: 1,500 total, 20 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 320° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: STJ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020613035999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020613035999A), Jun 13, 2002: Piper PA38112, St Joseph, MO, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft contacted the ground near the approach end of the runway (17) on a base leg heading, or perpendicular to the runway. It touched down hard… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54976. 494 KB in all. - Record of Interview (item 1, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445560&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-Redacted.PDF - St. Joseph Police Dept. Report (item 2, .PDF, 468 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445561&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=St.%20Joseph%20Police%20Dept.%20Report-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.