Cessna 172M accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, July 4, 1998
On July 4, 1998 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N2XC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spiirit Of St Louis 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 not obtaining and maintaining directional control. A factor was wet terrain (grass).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1998 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spiirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N2XC · registry record · serial 17266833
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane exited the runway after touchdown, traversed a wet grassy area and impacted a taxiway. The pilot said that he did not have his feet on the brakes, neither did he make any rudder input on touchdown. He said that he did not realize when the nosewheel contacted the runway. He said that after exiting the runway, his application of brakes and left rudder stopped the right turn, but did not return the airplane to the runway. The airplane continued across a taxiway where the nosewheel contacted a lip on the pavement and collapsed. Subsequent to the accident an examination of the airplane was conducted and no anomalies were found in the brakes or continuity of the flight controls.
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: 167 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 12, 1998; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS at 8:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:11 pm from SUS
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.