Piper PA28 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, November 27, 2016
On November 27, 2016 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA28, registered N56809, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near St. Louis, Missouri (Creve Coeur airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2016 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · Creve Coeur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1973 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N56809 · registry record · serial 28-7425041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, "the airplane bounced a couple times," and the propeller struck the runway. He then taxied to the ramp without further incident. During a postaccident examination, substantial damage was found to the engine mounts and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 31.7 hours in all; 31.7 in this make and model; 31.7 in the last 90 days; 8.3 in the last 30 days; 1.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,418.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 18, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 3,992 hours total
- Operator: Gateway Flight Training LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 St. Louis MO at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 1H0 St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from KSTL, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 14, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.