Cessna 21ON accident near Wentzville, Missouri, December 6, 1983
On December 6, 1983 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Cessna 21ON, registered N5209C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wentzville, Missouri (Wentzville airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 6, 1983 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Wentzville, Missouri · Wentzville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 21ON
- Registration
- N5209C · registry record · serial 21063716
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PLT DELAYED THE EXTENSION OF THE GEAR BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THE LANDING AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE SHOWED A FAILURE OF THE #2 CONNECTING ROD BEARING STRAP DUE TO FATIGUE. THIS FAILURE WAS FOLLOWED BY FAILURE OF THE REMAINING RODS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 951 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,879 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1983; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OJC Olathe KS at 4:06 pm
- Destination: 3SQ St. Charles MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.