- Date
- March 26, 1983, 19:00 local (Mar 27, 1983, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Salem, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8611PPiper PA-24-400
- Weather
- Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830326012499A
- Case key
- 33322
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The student plt departed dexter, MO at aprx dusk on a VFR, no-flt-plan flt to houston, MO. Time required for the flt would have been aprx 30 min (estimated). At 1900 CST, the bunker, MO city marshal reported that an acft flew over bunker so low that he thought it would hit the water tower. Aprx 1/2 hr later, another person reported a low flying plane over highway 72 near bunker. Near the same time, campers between bunker & Salem, MO saw a low flying plane circle at about tree top level, then depart to the northwest. Shortly thereafter, they heard a popping sound & the the eng noise quit abruptly. The acft was found the next day where it had impacted with trees aprx 30 ft AGL, then came to rest at the bases of 2 large trees. An investigation revealed there were areas of IMC along the routes & the plt had been cautioned that VFR flt was not recommended. The search for the acft had been delayed due to darkness & thunderstorm activity. An exam of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact, mechanical failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8611P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-400
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26-139
- Airframe hours
- 1,137
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-720-A1B, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tool Industties Of Fl, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 25, 1982 · 52 hours before
- Departed
- M43 · Dexter, MO
- Destination
- M48 · Houston, MO
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Night/dark
- Wind
- 160° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Observed at
- VIH, 60 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.