Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Salem, Missouri, January 31, 1983
On January 31, 1983 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N99SJ, was destroyed in an accident near Salem, Missouri (Salem Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- January 31, 1983 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Salem, Missouri · Salem Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N99SJ · no longer on the register · serial 28R7803356
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE 0910 TELEPHONE WX BRIEFING BY THE ST. LOUIS FSS, THE PLT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS GROUND FOG IN THE SALEM AREA. AT ABOUT 1010 THE PLT DEPARTED FROM RWY 16, MADE A LEFT TURN & CROSSED THE ARPT HEADING NORTH. A WITNESS WHO DROVETHE PLT TO THE ARPT STATED HE WATCHED THE ACFT UNTIL IT WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS AS IT CLIMBED. ANOTHER WITNESS, WHO WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1/2 MI EAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RWY 16, STATED HE SAW THE ACFT FLYING NORTH BEFORE IT WAS OBSCURED BY A NEARBY BUILDING. HE THEN HEARD THE ENG REV UP, THEN A CRASH. HE REPORTED THAT THE SKY WAS OVERCAST & GROUND VISIBILITYWAS ABOUT A MILE. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT OUTER WING SEPARATED AT THE INBOARD EDGE OF THE AILERON. THE EMPENNAGE DISPLAYED EVIDENCE OF LEFT WING IMPACT FORWARD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. THE SPARS & WING SKIN DISPLAYED EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. THE 0958 WX AT VICHY,MO, LOCATED 34 NM NW OF SALEM, WAS 2 MI IN FOG & HAZE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: 3 WE St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,650 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from VIH, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.