Piper PA-28-180 accident near Butler, Missouri, July 17, 1999
On July 17, 1999 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9653J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Butler, Missouri (Butler Memorial 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
loss of engine power for undetermined reason, and the pilot's inability to maintain clearance from the fence during the forced landing. Factors relating to this accident were the rising terrain, the rough/uneven terrain, and the fence posts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1999 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Missouri · Butler Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9653J · registry record · serial 28-3818
- 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 he had just taken off and was approximately 100-150 feet above the ground, when the airplane's engine lost power, but did not stop. The pilot leveled off to see if he could land on the remaining runway. When he lowered the nose of the airplane, the engine began developing power again. The pilot elected to turn left into the traffic pattern. As the airplane turned onto downwind leg, the engine 'gave out again'. The pilot turned the airplane toward the runway and set up for a forced landing to an adjacent field. While descending, the pilot noticed rising terrain in front of him. To avoid stalling the airplane, the pilot said he turned 45 degrees toward the runway to avoid the rise. The pilot then noticed a barb-wire fence in front of him. The pilot said that the terrain beneath him was uneven and rough. The pilot said, 'I managed to keep the airplane flying until I got caught in the fence.' Each wing struck a fence post. The airplane turned around and stopped approximately 80-100 feet beyond the fence. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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: 848 hours in all; 739 in this make and model; 777 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 1998; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUM at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from GVW, 36 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 N9653J 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.