Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Jefferson City, Missouri, August 17, 1997
On August 17, 1997, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N8147B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jefferson City, Missouri (Jefferson City Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's incomplete preflight of the airplane's stabilizer and rudder trim settings for takeoff, his failure to correct for the high pitch during the initial climb, his failure to recover from the bounced landing, and the inadvertent stall. Factors relating to this accident were the improper stabilizer and rudder trim settings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1997
- Place
- Jefferson City, Missouri · Jefferson City Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8147B · registry record · serial 32R-8013048
- 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 they had just taken off and were 'approximately 20 to 25 feet in the air when the engine rpm dropped from 2,700 to 400.' As the airspeed decreased, the airplane began to roll to the left. The pilot said that he kept the nose of the airplane up, and leveled the wings. 'As the airplane began to settle, the rpm zoomed to 700. The airplane touched down and then bounced back into the air.' The airplane was about 20 feet above the ground when the rpm dropped to zero and the left wing dropped again. The pilot again leveled the wings. By this time the airplane was left of the runway. The pilot decided to land in the dirt along-side the runway. 'The airplane touched down hard and then slid for a short distance.' The passenger in the right front seat said that after a short takeoff roll, the airplane got airborne, came down, bounced back in the air, and then came down very fast hitting left wing first. The passenger in the right rear seat said that it was loud when they took off and that the airplane was vibrating and seemed very rough. Examination of the airplane's stabilizer trim showed an almost full nose up trim setting. The rudder trim was set at full nose left. No other anomalies were revealed with the airplane.
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: 5,235 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1997; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JEF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from JEF, 1 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.