Cessna 140 N76456 accident near St. Louis, Missouri

Probable cause

The improper installation of the wing fairing during recent maintenance, which resulted in the partial separation of the fairing shortly after takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The accident occurred during the second flight since the airplane had undergone maintenance on the left flap assembly. The pilot reported hearing a loud bang shortly after liftoff, which was followed by repeated banging from behind his position. He performed an immediate landing, touching down with about 50 feet of runway remaining. The airplane overran the end of the runway and nosed over in a wheat field. A post-accident inspection revealed that the upper half of the left inboard wing fairing was bent upward and aft. The one-piece fairing was properly secured to the lower wing structure, but none of the five upper screws were located. The fairing upper screw holes did not exhibit any damage. This lack of damage was not consistent with a progressive loss of the upper screws during flight. The fairing had been removed during the recent flap maintenance. According to the mechanic who performed the maintenance, the fairing was reinstalled in the presence of several individuals, including the pilot, and that all of the screws were installed before he returned the airplane to service. According to the pilot, during his preflight inspection he visually confirmed that the screws were installed, although he did not verify their security.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN09LA335 for the full record.