Piper PA-28-151 accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, December 11, 1986
On December 11, 1986, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N44291, was destroyed in an accident near Grain Valley, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people 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
- December 11, 1986
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N44291 · registry record · serial 28-7415615
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED, AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND BEGAN LOSING POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE TRIED TO LAND ON A HIGHWAY BUT THERE WERE NUMEROUS VEHICLES IN TRANSIT AND HE DECIDED TO ATTEMPT AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. ON INITIAL IMPACT WITH THE RIGHT WING, THE AIRCRAFT TORE OFF A BRANCH FROM A TREE, THEN STRUCK A GRASSY KNOLL WITH THE RIGHT WING TIP. MAIN IMPACT OCCURRED WITH A BRANCH OF A SECOND TREE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED. POST ACCIDENT CALCULATIONS REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS 67 POUNDS OVER THE MAX ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT, AND WITHIN THE C.G. RANGE DURING TAKEOFF. A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION REVEALED NO PREEXISTING CONDITION, MALFUNCTION, OR ABNORMAL WEAR. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE FROST FROM THE WINGS AND WAS RUNNING THE ENGINE AT IDLE FOR ALMOST 30 MINUTES BEFORE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION.
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: 79 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,758 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 1985; 128 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3GV Grain Valley MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.