Creve Coeur Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141
Saturday, May 19, 1990 20:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PLT SAID THAT HE HAD JUST COMPLETED A BANNER DROP, THEN RE-ENTERED DOWNWIND LEG, AT ABOUT 40 FEET AGL. DURING THE TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE, HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS WHICH, SHORTLY AFTER, RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED IN A TALL WHEAT FIELD, WHERE THE ACFT NOSED OVER, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER. THE PLT SAID THAT HE DID NOT DRAIN THE FUEL SUMPS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL CONTAMINATION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CREVE COEUR
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63141
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CREVE COEUR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1HO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3900
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 663
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41667
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9071D
NTSB Number MKC90LA113
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18A
Aircraft Serial Number 6437
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ST. LOUIS AIR ADS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2713 AUTUMN RUN COURT
Aircraft Owner City CHESTERFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63005
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 1H0
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --