Piper PA-31T-620 accident near Hazelwood, Missouri, January 19, 1988
On January 19, 1988 at about 1:03 am local time, a Piper PA-31T-620, registered N200RS, was destroyed in an accident near Hazelwood, Missouri (Lambert-St. Louis airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PROPER GLIDE PATH NOT MAINTAINED BY P.I.C., DECISION HEIGHT NOT IDENTIFIED BY THE P.I.C., MISSED APPROACH NOT PERFORMED BY THE P.I.C. TURNING ON LIGHTS IN OVERCAST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1988 · about 1:03 am local time
- Place
- Hazelwood, Missouri · Lambert-St. Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T-620 · all PA-31T-620s on the register
- Registration
- N200RS · registry record · serial 31T-7520011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PAX SAID THAT THE APPROACH APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL THE PILOT TURNED ON THE LDG LIGHTS WHILE IN THE OVERCAST. SECONDS AFTER, THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES, CAREENING OUT OF CONTROL, AND SNAPPING POWER LINES; THEN STRIKING A HOUSE ROOF BEFORE COMING TO REST ON THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO BURN AS IT WENT THROUGH THE POWER LINES. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS AT OR ABOVE IFR LANDING MINIMUMS. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN IN A HOLDING PATTERN FOR FORTY FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE APPROACH. ALL OF THE AIRCRAFT'S SYSTEMS AND POWERPLANTS, AS WELL AS THE FAA APPROACH FACILITIES, WERE DETERMINED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 400 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ALX Alexander City AL at 10:04 pm
- Destination: UIN Quincy IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 9,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 13 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.