Cessna 152 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, May 22, 1987
On May 22, 1987 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6136Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Louis, 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
- May 22, 1987 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6136Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED ST. LOUIS DOWNTOWN-PARKS AIRPORT (CPS) ON A ROUND-ROBIN FLIGHT WITH PLANNED STOPS AT ST. CLAIR MEMORIAL AIRPORT (K39), MISSOURI, AND RICHLAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (M034), MISSOURI. THE RETURN FLIGHT TO CPS INCLUDED ANOTHER STOP AT K39. NO REFUELING WAS PERFORMED ENROUTE, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND THE FAA. THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AFTER 3 HOURS AND 55 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME, AND SUBSEQUENTLY LOST POWER, FORCING THE PILOT TO ATTEMPT AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING IMPACT. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO FIND ANY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANKS AND THERE WERE NO PRE-EXISTING DISCREPANCIES FOUND IN THE POWERPLANT TO SUGGEST AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 3 MILES SHORT OF A SUITABLE AERODROME.
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: 128 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,553 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1987; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: St. Louis University
The flight
- Departed from: K39 St. Clair MO at 11:00 pm
- Destination: CPS Cahokia IL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from CPS, 15 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 N6136Q 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.