Cessna 172RG accident near St. Louis, Missouri, September 19, 2008
On September 19, 2008 at about 9:03 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6416V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near St. Louis, Missouri (Spirit 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 improper maintenance performed resulting in a jammed nose landing gear door preventing the extension of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2008 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · Spirit Of St. Louis Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6416V · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had just departed when he noted that he had a "landing gear problem." After multiple attempts to extend the landing gear, the pilot performed a gear up landing, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Examination revealed that the nose gear door was jammed and had prevented the nose landing gear from extending. An examination of the maintenance records revealed that the day prior to the accident, the airplane was in for maintenance directly related to the landing gear door and damage to the door lip. The mechanic performed two gear swings without issue and the airplane was returned to service with the intent to repair the gear door damage when the airplane was in for an annual inspection in October.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear door retract sec › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 3, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,321.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,685 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS St. Louis MO at 5:50 pm
- Destination: SUS St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08L, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:31 pm from KSTL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.