Piper PA-22 accident near Maryville, Missouri, May 19, 1996
On May 19, 1996 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N8943D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maryville, Missouri (Maryville Rankin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's selection of an unsuitable area to taxi off the narrow runway in order to turn around. The proximity of the ditch was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1996 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Maryville, Missouri · Maryville Rankin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8943D · no longer on the register · serial 22-6101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing with a 40 degree crosswind, the pilot allowed the airplane to drift left off the runway, so he could turn back into the wind and back-taxi on the runway. He then saw a runway light ahead and maneuvered the airplane farther left to avoid the light. Shortly after that, the airplane entered a ditch. The airplane's nose wheel then sank in soft terrain, and the airplane nosed over.
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: 1,368 hours in all; 1,147 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,303 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,714 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1995; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STJ Saint Joseph MO at 3:20 pm
- Destination: 78Y
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,165 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from STJ, 27 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.
Other NTSB records under N8943D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.