Beech 35-33 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, December 31, 1997
On December 31, 1997 at about 8:19 pm local time, a Beech 35-33, registered N627V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St. Louis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to position the fuel selector to the proper fuel tank which led to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1997 · about 8:19 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St. Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-33 · all 35-33s on the register
- Registration
- N627V · no longer on the register · serial CD-61
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was heading westbound toward Spirit of St. Louis Airport for landing. Several witnesses saw the airplane in the air just before the accident. One witness said that the engine was not running, and the airplane was descending in steps. The airplane turned so that its wings were straight up and down. The airplane then rolled so that the wings were no longer sideways, but the right wing was lower. The airplane then struck the ground. Another witness said that the airplane was 'in a very steep angle.' As the airplane came close to the ground, it was in a right bank. Then almost immediately, the airplane struck the ground with its right wing and right landing gear at the same time. Examination of the wreckage revealed the fuel selector in the 'OFF' position. No other anomalies were observed.
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: 286 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,008 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 1996; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K89 Macon MO at 7:30 pm
- Destination: SUS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:25 pm from SUS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.