American Eagle 2-PLACE accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, July 20, 1983
On July 20, 1983, a American Eagle 2-PLACE, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N911AA, was destroyed in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Arrowhead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- July 20, 1983
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Arrowhead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Eagle 2-PLACE, amateur-built
- Registration
- N911AA · registry record · serial 002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FIRST OBSERVED IN A LEFT 30 DEG BANK TURN WITH THE NOSE SLIGHTLY DOWN. AFTER THE FIRST 360 DEG TURN, THE ANGLE OF BANK INCREASED TO 60 DEG. DURING THE 3RD 360 DEG TURN, THE DIAMETER OF THE TURN DECREASED TO ABOUT 100 FT & THEFORWARD SPEED APPEARED TO STOP. THE ACFT THE DROPPED OFF IN A LEFT WING DOWN SIDE-SLIP. AT 500 FT AGL THE BRS EXPLOSIVE CHARGE FIRED & THE PARACHUTE CANOPY OPENED TO ABOUT 3-5 FT DIAM. THE ACFT PITCHED FURTHER DOWN & THE BANK ANGLE INCREASED TO 70-80 DEG. THE PARACHUTE SEPARATED & THE ACFT SPIRALED TO THE GROUND. THE BRIDLE OF THE CHUTE WAS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN CUT BY A SHARP PIECE OF METAL NEAR ITS ATTACHMENT POINT. SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PRODUCER OF THE ACFT ISSUED A SAFETY BULLETIN REQUIRING MODIFICAITONS. THE NOW-STANDARD LARGER SPAN CANARD IS TO BE INSTALLED IN ALL ACFT IN THE FIELD. A 3RD SLAT BRACKET IS TO BE INSTALLED ON ALL LEADING EDGE SLATS. RESTRICTOR LINES ARE TO INSTALLED TO LIMIT THE MAX TRAVEL OF THE RUDDERS. OWNERS INFORMED TO RESTRICT BANK TO 30 DEG UNTIL FLIGHT TESTS COMPLETED.
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: 250 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,880 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N911AA 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.