Spirit Of St. Louis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chesterfield, Missouri 63017
Tuesady, August 28, 1984 18:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RWY AFTER MAKING A 180 DEG TURN AFTER TAKEOFF FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF & AT AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF 100 TO 110 MPH, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FT, THE ACFT ENG STARTED TO LOSE POWER. HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND THE ACFT STARTED TO STALL WHILE IN THE TURN CRASHING INTOAN OPEN DITCH NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. INVESTIGATION SHOWED A DISCREPANCY OF THE FUEL NOZZLES IN THE NO. 4 CYLINDER WHICH WERE FOUND BLOCKED. THE SERVO FUEL INJECTOR HAD WATER IN THE FUEL CHAMBER & THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL STRAINER TO FUEL CONTROL HAD WASTER MIXED WITH GASOLINE. THE PROPELLER WAS REMOVED & CHECKED NORMAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHESTERFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63017
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SUS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1849
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3190
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27299
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9373M
NTSB Number MKC84FCA02
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 1305
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 11 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 3166
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KATHLEEN A. WARDA
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R. #1, BOX 403
Aircraft Owner City MAROA
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61756
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLEMENT ATWELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3 SOUTH TEALBROOK DR.
Operator City ST.LOUIS
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63141
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 SUS
Departure City CHESTERFIELD
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DEC
Destination City DECATUR
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --