Piper PA-34-200T accident near Hannibal, Missouri, November 5, 1999
On November 5, 1999 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N3073V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hannibal, Missouri (Hannibal Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining directional of the airplane. Factors were the crosswinds and gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1999 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hannibal, Missouri · Hannibal Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3073V · no longer on the register · serial 34-7970170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he encountered a 40-degree crosswind at 12 to 14 knots during the landing on runway 17 and said the wind caused the plane to go to the left side of the runway. He applied full right rudder and right brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted a tree. The airplane's bottom fuselage buckled and the landing gear collapsed. The pilot said the airplane did not have any anomalies prior to the accident. In the pilot's written statement, he stated he 'suspected failure of right nose gear steering' and that '...trees are within 40 to 50 feet of runway.' An examination of the airplane revealed control continuity to all flight control surfaces and that the nose gear rotated within an estimated 60-degree steering arc when the rudder pedals were moved. The Type Certificate Data Sheet, A7SO, specified the nose gear rotation to be (+/- 1 degree) left 27 degrees and (+/- 1 degree) right 27 degrees.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,838 hours in all; 2,094 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 7,724 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1999; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RST Rochester MN at 2:25 pm
- Destination: HAE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 3,899 ft by 74 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from UIN, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.