Stits Aircraft SA3A accident near St Louis, Missouri, July 14, 2008
On July 14, 2008 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Stits Aircraft SA3A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N134JW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near St Louis, Missouri (Creve Coeur airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2008 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- St Louis, Missouri · Creve Coeur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stits Aircraft SA3A, amateur-built
- Registration
- N134JW · registry record · serial JW-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 2,500 hour private pilot was conducting a normal takeoff in a single seat amateur built airplane from the dry 3,120 foot long turf runway and reported that he lost control of the airplane and was unable to climb out of ground effect. The left wing and the nose of the airplane struck the ground, and airplane landed upright. There was substantial damage to the forward firewall, engine mounts, landing gear, and left wing, but only minor injuries to the pilot. The pilot reported he had owned the airplane for 18 years and there was nothing wrong with the engine or with the performance of the airplane. He said he was "just too far behind" the airplane and it "got away" from him because it was "so quick and difficult to control". Weather reported at the time of the accident was 10 miles visibility, with few clouds at 5,000 feet, westerly winds at 5 knots, with a temperature of 87 degrees and dew point of 57degrees.
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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 680 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 St Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,120 ft by 220 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from KSTL, 6 miles away
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.