No fatalities

Aircraft Accident at Private Dirt Airstrip

Drexel, MO, United States

On April 5, 2015, a PIPER PA 22-135 150 operated by Shannon, Randal S. Shannon, Melissa J. was involved in an aviation accident near Drexel, MO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while taxiing in unfavorable wind conditions. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot performing stop-and-go landings at a private dirt airstrip encountered wind gusts that nosed the airplane over during taxi. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

Incident Overview and Location Details The accident occurred at a private dirt airstrip situated between two weather reporting stations. The pilot was conducting stop-and-go landings when the incident took place. After completing his third landing, the pilot was taxiing eastward for takeoff when he reported encountering several wind gusts that caused the airplane to nose over. The specific aircraft type, registration, operator, and exact date are not provided in the source material. ## Weather Conditions and Damage Assessment Local weather data indicated winds from the south at fourteen knots with gusts reaching twenty-three knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and lift struts. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation