- Date
- February 18, 1994, 11:17 local (17:17 UTC)
- Place
- Viburnum, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8913YPiper PA-39
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940218002609A
- Case key
- 9334
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the turn to final. The gusty tailwind during the turn was a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses described the airplane entering a very steep left turn from a base leg to runway 27. The turn was described as approaching a 90 deg bank angle, with the airplane pitching nose down, rolling inverted and twisting as it descended steeply to impact.
Factual narrative
History of Flight
On February 18, 1994, at 1117 central standard time, a Piper PA39, N8913Y, operated as a business aircraft by Shapiro Brothers, Inc., of Festus, Missouri, impacted the ground 1/2 mile east of runway 27 while making a visual approach at Viburnum Airport, Viburnam, Missouri. The aircraft was destroyed and the instrument rated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Winds were 170 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 22 knots. No flight plan was on file. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Festus, Missouri, at 1030 hours.
Witnesses described the airplane entering a very steep left turn from a left base leg to runway 27. The turn was described as approaching 90 degrees angle of bank, with the airplane pitching nose down, rolling inverted and twisting as it descended steeply to impact the ground.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane heading at impact was 080 degrees magnetic. There was little disturbance to the surrounding vegetation. The airplane nose and wing leading edges were deformed up and aft. Both nacelles were displaced up and aft several inches. The empennage was deflected down aft of the wing trailing edge. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers had some skin wrinkling, but little evidence of ground impact. Both propellers displayed forward bending, chordwise dirt streaks and had dug into the ground, burying the spinners. No engine anomolies were found. No control anomolies were found. Fuel was present at the scene, and all tanks were ruptured. Fuel was found in the lines to both engines.
Pathological Information
Toxicology tests were negative. An autopsy was performed at the Jefferson Memorial Hospital, Crystal City, Missouri. Cause of death was listed as extensive trauma.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8913Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-39
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 39-69
- Airframe hours
- 2,836
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Shapiro Brothers Inc
- Registered owner
- Shapiro Brothers Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 5, 1993 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- Q15 · Festus, MO
- Airport
- K42 · Viburnam, runway 27, 3,195 × 47 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 79
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 41 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VIH, 38 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.