# NTSB MKC81FA023: Piper PA-31, N9117Y, Kirksville, MO, March 4, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Closed
- Date: March 4, 1981
- Place: Kirksville, MO · KIRKSVILLE, MO
- Location: 40.1982° N, 92.5746° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kirksville, MO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1982&lon=-92.5746&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 20, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126954
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MKC81FA023
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC81FA023

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0467   81/3/4  NR.KIRKSVILLE,MO      PIPER PA-31         CR-  0  0  2  COMMERCIAL                ATP,FLIGHT INSTR., AGE
        TIME - 2006                    N9117Y              PX-  0  0  3  COMMUTER AIR CARRIER      38, 5417 TOTAL HOURS, 399
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0  AIR TAXI-PASSG S-D        IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - CLARENCE CANNON
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ST LOUIS,MO                KIRKSVILLE,MO
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: FINAL APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - FOG
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - WEATHER SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN FORECAST
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               300
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       34
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
           20                                                       6
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      IFR
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N9117Y (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Clarence Cannon

## 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 19810304008149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810304008149A), Mar 4, 1981: Piper PA31, Kirksville, MO, Substantial damage. Aircraft crashed short of runway during instrument approach. Altimeter malfunction noted.

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.