Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Dutchtown, Missouri, February 6, 1991
On February 6, 1991 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N3966X, was destroyed in an accident near Dutchtown, Missouri (Cape Girardeau Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1991 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dutchtown, Missouri · Cape Girardeau Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N3966X · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7535369
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS INBOUND TO THE CAPE GIRARDEAU ARPT FROM THE NORTHWEST ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 140 DEG, AND HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 10 (INBOUND COURSE 104 DEGREES). RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE PILOT MAINTAINED A 140 DEG HEADING UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. ALL RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE NORMAL. THE OUTBOARD WING SECTIONS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE LEFT WINGTIP WAS LOCATED FARTHEST FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE, AND WAS LOCATED ABOUT 600 FEET SOUTH OF THE MAIN IMPACT AREA.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 583 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 478 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,569 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 19, 1990; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COU Columbia MO at 9:36 pm
- Destination: CGI Cape Girardeau MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:40 pm from CGI, 8 miles away
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.
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.