# NTSB MKC84LA121: Piper PA-38, N25731, St. Joseph, MO, April 7, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 6, 1984, 18:00 local (Apr 7, 1984, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: St. Joseph, MO
- Coordinates: 39.750091, -94.839492 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7501&lon=-94.8395&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 33664
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MKC84LA121
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/33664/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC84LA121

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN A GUSTY CROSSWIND. THE ACFT BALLOONED AND LANDED HARD WHICH COLLAPSED THE NOSE GEAR.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N25731](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25731-1997-11-04), registration cancelled 1997-11-04, S/N 3881A0065 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-38
- Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 38-81A0065
- Airframe hours: 1224
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235 L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Express Flight, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, September 30, 1983, 24 hours before
- Departed: EMP, EMPORIA, KS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: STJ, Rosecrans Memorial, runway 17, 8,059 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 36; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 41 total, 41 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 52 °F

## 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 19840406015059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840406015059A), Apr 6, 1984: Piper PA38112, St Joseph, MO, Substantial damage. Student ballooned and made a hard landing. Blamed a gusty crosswind for the event.

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.