Creve Coeur Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141
Sunday, January 17, 1988 14:39 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY STARTED A VERTICAL CLIMB FROM A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE LOST MOMENTUM WHILE IN THE CLIMB, THEN IT NOSED DOWN AND DOVE TOWARDS THE GROUND. IT EXPLODED UPON IMPACT AND WAS DESTROYED IN THE ENSUING POST-CRASH FIRE. CRUSH LINES ON THE FUSELAGE AND DEFORMITIES ON THE WINGS INDICATE THAT THE ANGLE OF MAIN IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY 46 DEGREES BELOW THE HORIZONTAL PLANE. ATTACHMENT, CONTINUITY, AND CORRECT TRAVEL WERE ESTABLISHED ON ALL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES AND SYSTEMS. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION PRODUCED NO EVIDENCE THAT WOULD SUGGEST THE OCCURRENCE OF AN IN-FLIGHT POWERPLANT FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1439
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CREVE COEUR
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63141
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 445
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 78
Weather Observation Facility ID STL
Elevation of weather observation facility 605
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 990
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1428
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37555
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1727J
NTSB Number MKC88FA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-24139
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 2 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 337
Airframe Hours 1268
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name YOUNG, RAYMOND P.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1472 WERREMEYER PL.
Aircraft Owner City ELMWOOD PARK
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63132
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 16
Runway Length 2250
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --