Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, September 23, 2023
On September 23, 2023 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N2242N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial retraction of the right main and nose landing gear during landing rollout for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2023 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201, built 1979 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N2242N · registry record · serial 28R-7918044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot conducted an uneventful local flight without issue just before the accident flight. During the accident flight, while conducting a visual traffic pattern approach to the runway, the pilot verified three green landing gear extended annunciator lights and proceeded to land the airplane. After a normal touchdown, he felt that the right wing was low and began to correct the attitude when the right wing continued to drop and scrape the runway. The airplane pulled to the right, exited the runway, spun slowly to the right, and came to rest upright. The airplane’s right main and nose landing gear were found partially retracted and the outboard right wing sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination and testing of the airframe and landing gear system revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the partial retraction of the right main and nose landing gear could not be determined.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,322 hours in all; 169 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,146 as pilot in command; 1,153 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,317 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2023; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 4,270 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from KSUS, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSUS 231554Z 19008KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP149 T02670167
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Examination Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Landing Gear Normal Mode Test Video | video | View Download |
| 5 | Landing Gear Emergency Extension Test Video | video | View Download |
| 6 | Previous Flight and Accident Flight Data | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Accident Flight Data | data file | Download |
| 8 | Previous Flight Data | data file | Download |
| 9 | Excerpt of POH Landing Gear System Description | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Excerpt of Maintenance Manual Landing Gear System Description | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.