Cessna 402 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, July 21, 2019
On July 21, 2019 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 402, registered N300SN, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near St. Louis, Missouri (St Louis Lambert Intl airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s collision with a bird during short final.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2019 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · St Louis Lambert Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 C, built 1979 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N300SN · no longer on the register · serial 402C0060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator's director of safety reported that, during short final, the pilot quickly maneuvered the airplane to avoid a bird. When the pilot rolled wings level, a second bird went through the propeller and struck the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot then landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The director of safety 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
- Birdstrike during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,762 hours in all; 1,365 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,579.3 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 4, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 4,041 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 4,522 hours total
- Operator: Hyannis Air Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: MWA Marion IL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: STL St. Louis MO
- Runway 12R, 11,019 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from KSTL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 3, 2019. 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.
Other NTSB records under N300SN 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.