Piper PA-22-135 accident near Memphis, Missouri, February 18, 2004
On February 18, 2004 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-135, registered N3419A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Missouri (Memphis Memorial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Directional control not maintained by the flight instructor during the landing roll. The snow on the edge of the runway, and the wind gusts were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2004 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Missouri · Memphis Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135 · all PA-22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N3419A · registry record · serial 22-1692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tailwheel airplane operated by a commercially rated flight instructor, sustained substantial damage on impact with a snow bank during landing roll during an instructional flight. The Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) stated, "Upon descending to short final[,] the winds became light and so we landed, slightly right of the center line with very little aileron or rudder input. After rolling out for an unknown distance and before I could tell my student to start applying some light braking, a gust of wind hit the right side of the aircraft, lifting the right wing and pushing the tail to the left. The yoke was full aft and to the right and at that point I put in full left rudder to correct the direction of the roll out. The right wing became level but we were approximately 2 feet off the runway with the right main gear in the snow which had been pushed off the runway. At this point we were heading down the runway except for the right main gear which was still in the snow. Without brakes on the right side for assistance[,] we continued down the runway edge for approximately 40 feet before the right main gear either compacted with snow or hit some frozen snow making the aircraft tip forward [and] over on the windshield."
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,111 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 957 as pilot in command; 302 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 18, 2003; 1,750 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BRL Burlington IA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 3JC Junction City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KIRK, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3419A 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.