Cessna 140 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, June 2, 2009
On June 2, 2009 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N76456, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near St. Louis, Missouri (Creve Coeur Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the wing fairing during recent maintenance, which resulted in the partial separation of the fairing shortly after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2009 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · Creve Coeur Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N76456 · no longer on the register · serial 10888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident occurred during the second flight since the airplane had undergone maintenance on the left flap assembly. The pilot reported hearing a loud bang shortly after liftoff, which was followed by repeated banging from behind his position. He performed an immediate landing, touching down with about 50 feet of runway remaining. The airplane overran the end of the runway and nosed over in a wheat field. A post-accident inspection revealed that the upper half of the left inboard wing fairing was bent upward and aft. The one-piece fairing was properly secured to the lower wing structure, but none of the five upper screws were located. The fairing upper screw holes did not exhibit any damage. This lack of damage was not consistent with a progressive loss of the upper screws during flight. The fairing had been removed during the recent flap maintenance. According to the mechanic who performed the maintenance, the fairing was reinstalled in the presence of several individuals, including the pilot, and that all of the screws were installed before he returned the airplane to service. According to the pilot, during his preflight inspection he visually confirmed that the screws were installed, although he did not verify their security.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Aerodynamic fairings structure › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 596 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 564 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,762 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors C85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 St. Louis MO at 11:15 pm
- Destination: 1H0 St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,120 ft by 220 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from KSTL, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.