Cessna 172L accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, August 13, 1984
On August 13, 1984 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N2898Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis airport). It was a personal 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
- August 13, 1984 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2898Q · no longer on the register · serial 17259898
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN. SHE WAS CLEARED TO LAND BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT ON A TOUCH & GO FROM A LEFT PATTERN. THE OTHER ACFT WAS STILL ON THE RWY WHEN SHE STARTED FLARING TO LAND. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT BOUNCED BADLY DURING THE LANDING & AFTER IT SETTLED BACK TO THE RWY, SHE HAD POOR STEERING, SO SHE WENT OFF THE RWY & SHUT DOWN THE ENG. THE NOSE SECTION, FIREWALL, LANDING GEAR & PROP WERE DAMAGED DURING THE OCCURRENCE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 575 hours in all; 530 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMG Bloomington IN at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 7, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.