Piper PA-39 accident near Viburnum, Missouri, February 18, 1994
On February 18, 1994 at about 5:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-39, registered N8913Y, was destroyed in an accident near Viburnum, Missouri (Viburnam airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE TURN TO FINAL. THE GUSTY TAILWIND DURING THE TURN WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1994 · about 5:17 pm local time
- Place
- Viburnum, Missouri · Viburnam · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-39 · all PA-39s on the register
- Registration
- N8913Y · no longer on the register · serial 39-69
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE ENTERING A VERY STEEP LEFT TURN FROM A BASE LEG TO RUNWAY 27. THE TURN WAS DESCRIBED AS APPROACHING A 90 DEG BANK ANGLE, WITH THE AIRPLANE PITCHING NOSE DOWN, ROLLING INVERTED AND TWISTING AS IT DESCENDED STEEPLY TO IMPACT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 41 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,836 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shapiro Brothers INC
The flight
- Departed from: Q15 Festus MO at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,195 ft by 47 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from VIH, 38 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.