Festus Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Festus, Missouri 63028
Sunday, April 18, 1993 11:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON A ROUND-ROBIN SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM ST. LOUIS TO POTOSI, BONNE TERRE, AND RETURN. DURING THE RETURN TRIP TO ST. LOUIS THE PILOT BECAME MOTION-SICK AND DIVERTED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT - FESTUS - FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE AIRPLANE LANDED 250 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, ABOUT 40 FT BELOW THE CREST OF THE HILL WHERE THE RUNWAY IS LOCATED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TAKEN AN OVER-THE-COUNTER MOTION-SICKNESS TABLET (50 MG DIMENHYDRINATE) PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FROM ST. LOUIS; AN ELAPSED FLIGHT TIME OF ABOUT 2.1 HRS. THE LABEL OF THE MEDICATION STATED IT COULD CAUSE MARKED DROWSINESS, AND BORE A CAUTION AGAINST DRIVING OR OPERATING MACHINERY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S MOTION SICKNESS AND THE EFFECT OF THE OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION ON HIS PILOTING PERFORMANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FESTUS
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63028
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FESTUS MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FES
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 433
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 358
Weather Observation Facility ID SUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 463
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 138
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 19 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50485
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9298T
NTSB Number CHI93LA142
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0337
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 18 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 4041
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PHOENIX AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3007
Aircraft Owner City CHESTERFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63066
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PHOENIX AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3007
Operator City CHESTERFIELD
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63066
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SUS
Departure City SAINT LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 49
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --