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Atlas / NTSB / CHI99LA154

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event CHI99LA154

1999-05-16 CHESTERFIELD, Missouri, United States Airport · SUS None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N738WK

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA R182

Year of manufacture

1979 · 20 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19790314

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A9EAC1

Registrant of record

MALLETTE CHRISTOPHER LEE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

the pilot's failure to attain clearance over the fence. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions which resulted in a loss of directional control, the crosswind, and the fence posts.

Factual narrative

On May 16, 1999, at 1800 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna R182, N738WK, operated by Thunder Aviation, collided with a fence during an aborted landing at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The flight originated from Columbia, Missouri, at 1715 cdt. The pilot stated he was making a landing on runway 08L with a crosswind which varied from 170 to 210 degrees, at 10 to 15 knots. The pilot stated the airplane bounced on touchdown and he recovered by bringing the airplane back to the runway on all three landing gear. He stated the airspeed was high and the it "quickly veered" off the left side of the runway into the grass. He elected to abort the landing and during the initial climb, the airplane contacted the metal supports for a temporary fence which was located about 20 to 30 yards from the runway. Substantial damage resulted to the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot continued the takeoff and returned to land without incident. The pilot stated he was landing on runway 08L with a crosswind which varied from 170 to 210 degrees, at 10 to 15 knots. The airplane bounced on touchdown and he recovered by bringing the airplane back to the runway on all three landing gear. He stated the airspeed was high and the it 'quickly veered' off the left side of the runway into the grass. He aborted the landing and during the initial climb, the airplane contacted the metal supports for a temporary fence which was located about 20 to 30 yards from the runway. Substantial damage resulted to the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot continued the takeoff and returned to land without incident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1999_CHI99LA154.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.