Piper PA-32-300 accident near West Alton, Missouri, February 3, 1986
On February 3, 1986 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N56685, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Alton, Missouri. 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
- February 3, 1986 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Alton, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N56685 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7440017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING PREFLIGHT HE CONFIRMED THAT THE ACFT NEEDED FUEL. AFTER REFUELING WAS COMPLETED, THE PLT STATED, THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE FUEL SAMPLES. THE PLT, ALSO AN A&P, TRIED TO CLEAR THE FUEL SYSTEM OF TRAPPED WATER. HE STATED, ENGINE RUNUP, TAKEOFF AND CRUISE FLT WERE UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HALF AN HOUR LATER WHEN THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND LOST POWER. THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN AN AREA OF HIGH VEGETATION. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A MILKY SOLUTION OF SOAP AND WATER WAS PRESENT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN WASHED JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,125 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 3 in the last 30 days; 932 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,826 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1986; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3SQ St. Charles MO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 3H5 Lebanon IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.