Amateur-built Q-2 accident near St Charles, Missouri, August 8, 1987
On August 8, 1987 at about 4:20 pm local time, a amateur-built Q-2, registered N3891P, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Charles, Missouri (St Charles CO airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 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
- August 8, 1987 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- St Charles, Missouri · St Charles CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q-2
- Registration
- N3891P · no longer on the register · serial 2163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG TAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AT AN ESTD ALT OF 50 TO 100 FT AGL & WOULD NOT DEVELOPED ENOUGH POWER TO MAINT FLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, AS THE PLT WAS LNDG IN A SOYBEAN FIELD, THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER & CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THE PUSH ROD FOR THE LEFT FORWARD EXHAUST VALVE HAD BECOME DISENGAGED (MIS- ALIGNED) FROM ITS RESPECTIVE ROCKER ARM SOCKET, ALLOWING THE EXHAUST VALVE TO REMAIN IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THE REVMASTER/VW ENG HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 76.5 HRS.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 323 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 375 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 77 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 1, 1986; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CPS Cahokia IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 17,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N3891P 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.