Piper PA-28-140 accident near Creve Ceour, Missouri, January 5, 1986
On January 5, 1986 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4349J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Creve Ceour, Missouri (Creve Ceour airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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
- January 5, 1986 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Creve Ceour, Missouri · Creve Ceour · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4349J · registry record · serial 22726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF FM THE ARPT THE PLT STATED THE ACFT ENG RAN ROUGH AND HE APPLIED CARB HEAT TO HELP THE ENGINE RUN BETTER AFTER APPLICATION OF CARB HEAT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING BACK TO THE AIRPORT FINALLY TOUCHING DOWN ON A TAXIWAY BETWEEN TWO HANGARS. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN THE PLT STATED THE ACFT ENG RESPONDED MOMENTARILY WITH THE ACFT BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE ENG QUIT AFTER THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND THE PLT STATED HE HAD INSUFFICIENT SPEED WITH WHICH TO CLEAR HANGARS AT THE END OF THE TAXIWAY. THE ACFT DESCENDED BACK TO THE TAXIWAY AND STRUCK ACFT PARKED IN THE HANGAR. A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE RUN FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY. A FURTHER CHK FOR FUEL LEAKAGE OR CONTAMINATES WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS SHOW THAT ICING IS LIKELY AT THE TEMP & DEW POINT RECORDED ON THAT DAY. THE PLT STATED HE RAN THE ENG FOR A PERIOD OF 15 TO 20 MINUTES.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,330 hours in all; 3,317 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 3,317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,785 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 21, 1985; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1HO Creve Ceour MO at 1:05 pm
- Destination: Quincy IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:10 pm from SUS, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N4349J 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.