Piper PA-32-300 accident near St. Charles, Missouri, May 24, 1991
On May 24, 1991 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N931VN, was destroyed in an accident near St. Charles, Missouri (Smartt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE VEHICLES WHICH THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1991 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- St. Charles, Missouri · Smartt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N931VN · no longer on the register · serial 32-7740084
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 18, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND TRAVELED INTO THE GRASS WHERE THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A GRAIN WAGON AND A PICK-UP TRUCK. WIND CONDITIONS REPORTED 10NM AWAY WERE FROM 130 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 103 HOURS AND HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS CONTROLLING THE AIRPLANE IN CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.
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: 103 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AIZ Lake Ozark MO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:50 pm from STL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.