Piper PA-28-180 accident near Maryland Height, Missouri, October 21, 1992
On October 21, 1992 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7858N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maryland Height, Missouri (Arrowhead 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
BLOCKAGE OF THE INDUCTION AIR SYSTEM BY A MOUSE NEST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1992 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Maryland Height, Missouri · Arrowhead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7858N · no longer on the register · serial 28-5316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY THROUGH LIFTOFF. ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, RESTARTED, THEN QUIT AGAIN. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, MOUSE NESTS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND NEST DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN THE AIRDUCT AND AIRBOX. THE ENGINE STARTED AND RAN DURING A TEST.
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: 658 hours in all; 586 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 568 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,931 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 1992; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 02K at 1:30 pm
- Destination: AIZ Kaizer MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,700 ft by 47 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:22 pm from SUS, 9 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.