Amateur-built JSX-2 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, May 7, 2017
On May 7, 2017 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 2016 amateur-built JSX-2, registered N458V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Chesterfield, 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 pilot’s failure to ensure that the canopy was properly secured before takeoff, which resulted in an unstable landing flare and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2017 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built JSX-2 NO SERIES, built 2016
- Registration
- N458V · registry record · serial 004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after takeoff, about "100 ft. above ground level," the canopy opened and the airplane became "very hard to control." He added that he was able to return to the airport to land; however, during the approach, the airplane was unstable due to the "pitching and yawing." Subsequently, during the landing flare, when he reduced engine power, the airplane touched down hard, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,750 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 10,650 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 19, 2016
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 27, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pbs Velkabites TJ-100 (turbojet); 15 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS Chesterfield MO at 6:15 pm
- Destination: SUS Chesterfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8R, 7,485 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KSUS
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 June 28, 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 Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.