Smartt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Charles, Missouri 63301
Friday, May 24, 1991 16:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 18, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND TRAVELED INTO THE GRASS WHERE THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A GRAIN WAGON AND A PICK-UP TRUCK. WIND CONDITIONS REPORTED 10NM AWAY WERE FROM 130 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 103 HOURS AND HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS CONTROLLING THE AIRPLANE IN CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE VEHICLES WHICH THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1620
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ST. CHARLES
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63301
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SMARTT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3SZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 438
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID STL
Elevation of weather observation facility 605
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1373
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44075
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N931VN
NTSB Number CHI91LA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7740084
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEB ASSOCIATE ELECTRONIC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 625 CARRICO BLVD
Aircraft Owner City FLORISSANT
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63034
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEB ASSOCIATE ELECTRONIC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 625 CARRICO BLVD
Operator City FLORISSANT
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63034
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AIZ
Destination City LAKE OZARK
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --