Piper PA-32-260 accident near Sikeston, Missouri, December 16, 1983
On December 16, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N321HF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sikeston, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- December 16, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sikeston, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N321HF · no longer on the register · serial 32-281
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER ENGINE FAILURE. DURING A X-COUNTRY FLT THE ENGINE POPPED AND QUIT. THE PLT APPROACHED A ROAD TO LAND BUT SAW A VEHICLE DURING APPROACH AND VEERED OFF INTO A FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT WHICH HAD FAILED AT THE NUMBER 4 BEARING JOURNAL CHEEK. THE SHAFT EXHIBITED SEVERAL GOUGES EXTENDING THROUGH ABOUT 90 DEGREES OF THE CIRCUMFERENCE. THE FATIGUE INITIATION AREA APPEARED TO BE LOCATED IN ONE OF THESE GOUGES. THERE WAS NO LOG BOOK ENTRY TO INDICATE A PREVIOUS SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE ENGINE BUT NUMEROUS CYLINDER CHANGES OVER THE ENGINE LIFE WERE NOTED.
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: 670 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 630 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 6:30 pm
- Destination: JAX Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:25 pm from CGI, 20 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.