Cessna 182T accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, September 13, 2004
On September 13, 2004 at about 2:16 am local time, a Cessna 182T, registered N843MC, was destroyed in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining airspeed and the inadvertent stall he encountered during the go-around. A factor was the tree he impacted during his uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2004 · about 2:16 am local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182T · all 182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N843MC · no longer on the register · serial 18281143
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during an attempted go-around. A post impact fire occurred. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot representing the accident airplane informed the tower that he was 11 miles south of the airport and was inbound for landing on the north runway. The flight was cleared to land on runway 26R. The pilot informed the tower that he was going around. The flight was cleared to make right traffic for runway 26R. At approximately 2116, the pilot confirmed the clearance for right traffic. That was the last transmission received from the flight. The sheriff's report stated, "All of the witnesses stated they saw a low flying aircraft disappear behind the woods before hearing a loud crash and seeing an explosion, which lasted a brief period of time." The flaps were found extended to 25 degrees. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. An excerpt from the airplane information manual stated, "BALKED LANDING 1. Power -- FULL THROTTLE and 2400 RPM. 2. Wing Flaps -- RETRACT TO 20". 3. Climb Speed -- 55 KIAS. 4. Wing Flaps -- RETRACT slowly after reaching a safe altitude and 70 KIAS. 5. Cowl Flaps -- OPEN." Plotted airplane radar track data showed that the airplane was climbing after its approach. The plot showed the airplane at 550 feet MSL at 2115:47, at about the end of runway 26R. The airplane's highest recorded altitude during that climb was 1050 feet MSL at 2116:33, about a mile west of runway 26R. The next plotted return showed the airplane at 950 feet MSL at 2116:38. The accident site was plotted and it was about a tenth of a mile north of the last return. The pilot's instructor informed management at the flight school that "I endorsed [the pilot ] because he did meet all of the standards for the practical test and he passed his Part 141 Graduation ride. I am writing you because even though [he] performed well on his Grad and will pass his practical test, I am worried about his complacent attitude toward flying and expressing my concern for his safety post check ride."
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: 91 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 419 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 2004; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,110 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SIK Sikeston MO
- Destination: Chesterfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from SUS, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.