Piper PA28-151 accident near Foristell, Missouri, September 16, 1986
On September 16, 1986 at about 10:30 am local time, a Piper PA28-151, registered N44501, was destroyed in an accident near Foristell, Missouri. It was a business 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
- September 16, 1986 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Foristell, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-151 · all PA28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N44501 · registry record · serial 28-7415649
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RADAR SIGNAL DATA RECORDED THE SUBJ ACFT MOVING NORTHWEST IN A SHALLOW CLIMB. THE TRACK DATA TERMINATED ABT 0538 C.D.T. OR ABT 12 MINUTES INTO THE FLT. A WITNESS NEAR THE VOR STATION STATED HE HEARD AN ACFT FLYING OVERHEAD, ABT THE TIME THE FAA REPORTED LOSING THE SIGNAL FM THE RADAR SCOPE. THE WITNESS LISTENED INTENTLY FOR THE SOUND OF THE ACFT ENG WITH EXPECTATION OF THE SOUND TO FADE INTO THE DISTANCE, BUT HE DID NOT HEAR ADDITIONAL ENG SOUND. WX COND'S FOR THE AREA CONSISTED OF MARGINAL VFR AND IFR CONDITION WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MOVING INTO THE ST. LOUIS AREA. ACCORDING TO AVAILABLE PERSONAL FLT RCRDS, THE PIC WAS NOT PROPERLY QUALIFIED IN INSTRUMENT FLT COND'S AND WAS NOT CURRENT FOR FLT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL COND'S. THE ACFT ACCIDENT EXAM DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT FLT CONTROL PBLMS.
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: 1,740 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3WE Fenton MO at 10:10 am
- Destination: IRK Kirksville MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 am from SUS, 16 miles away
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.
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.