Piper PA-28-161 accident near Jefferson City, Missouri, October 6, 1989
On October 6, 1989 at about 11:45 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8222F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jefferson City, Missouri (Jefferson City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT & RAINY WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1989 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Jefferson City, Missouri · Jefferson City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8222F · registry record · serial 28-8016338
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING FROM PARKING TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY IN PREPARATION FOR AN IFR FLIGHT, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE FAILED TO NOTICE A SECURED, UNOCCUPIED AIRCRAFT TIED DOWN IN TRANSIENT PARKING, AND COLLIDED WITH IT. LIGHT CONDITIONS WERE A DARK NIGHT WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINFALL. DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE WING AND PROPELLER OF THE MOVING AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 279 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 294 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JEF Jefferson City MO at 11:45 am
- Destination: MTO Mattoon IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots, gusting 4
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 11:45 am from JEF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.