Cessna 177 accident near Wentzville, Missouri, April 14, 1982
On April 14, 1982 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N2969X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wentzville, Missouri (Wentzville airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1982 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wentzville, Missouri · Wentzville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2969X · no longer on the register · serial 17700369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LANDING ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED TO A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE INSTRUCTOR INITIATED A RECOVERY. HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT HE WAS TOO LATE TO EFFECT A NORMAL RECOVERY. DURING THE RECOVERY, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED OFF OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER STRUCK RUNWAY LIGHTS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,111 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 3,610 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 970 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Alton IL at 11:00 am
- Destination: Wentzville MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N2969X 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.