Piper PA-22-160 accident near Saint Joseph, Missouri, April 7, 2000
On April 7, 2000 at about 7:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N8943D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Joseph, Missouri (Rosecrans Memorial 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind condition. A factor to the accident was the high winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2000 · about 7:18 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Joseph, Missouri · Rosecrans Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N8943D · no longer on the register · serial 22-6101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident airplane was damaged during a nose over while taxing at the Rosencrans Memorial Airport, Saint Joseph, Missouri. According to Air Traffic Control personnel at the airport, who witnessed the accident, as the airplane joined the taxiway the tail lifted up, and the airplane nosed-over. The pilot reported that, 'I used aileron deflections, turning into a quartering headwind and away from a quartering tailwind. When I came to my left turn from 090 to 360 onto taxiway Alpha, I reduced power somewhat, though not all the way. At the midpoint of the turn, when the wind was directly perpendicular to the left side of the fuselage, the tail began to rise. Soon the prop [propeller] began digging into the taxiway. According to a witness the plane went up on its nose, spun 90 degrees and fell over.' The pilot continued to report, 'I remember much training on use of ailerons during taxi, however I don't remember a lot of emphasis on the fact that higher power should be used to keep the tail down. Taildragger pilots seem to be a lot more familiar with that aspect. My power reduction for the 90 degree turn may have made it easier for the tail to rise.' Winds at the time of the accident were from 310 degrees magnetic at 40 knots gusting to 46 knots.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,867 hours in all; 1,650 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,849 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1999; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UNK Tulsa OK at 4:25 pm
- Destination: STJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 40 knots, gusting 46
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:18 pm from STJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N8943D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.