Piper PA-24 accident near Cabool, Missouri, January 20, 1991
On January 20, 1991, a Piper PA-24, registered N5627P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cabool, Missouri (Cabool airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING A GO-AROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANDING GEAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1991
- Place
- Cabool, Missouri · Cabool · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N5627P · no longer on the register · serial 24-697
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER CIRCLING THE AIRPORT, TO DETERMINE RUNWAY USE ON A DARK NIGHT, HE LOWERED THE GEAR AND PREPARED TO LAND. HE NOTICED ON FINAL APPROACH, THE LANDING GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED PROPERLY AND ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE IF THE GEAR WAS IN THE SAFE POSITION. HE SAW THE LIGHTED WIND TEE GO BY, ABOUT MID-FIELD, DURING FINAL APPROACH AND DECIDED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO LAND SO ELECTED TO MAKE A GO AROUND. HE SAID THAT HE MUST HAVE INADVERTENTLY SHUT THE PANEL LIGHTS OFF, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY BRIGHTENS UP THE GEAR POSITION LIGHTS. HE ATTEMPTED TO REACH A FLASHLIGHT IN THE COCKPIT, BUT UNKNOWINGLY BANKED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH SOME TREES, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT WAS DESIGNED TO AUTOMATICALLY DIM THE GEAR POSITION LIGHTS WHEN THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, TO REDUCE COCKPIT GLARE.
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: 547 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 487 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIH Vichy MO at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 am from VIH, 60 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.