Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Missouri 65803
Saturday, October 8, 1994 10:31 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKING OFF ON AN IFR FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB INTO A LOW OVERCAST. THE PILOT CONTACTED DEPARTURE CONTROL AND REPORTED CLIMBING THROUGH 2200' FOR AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 5000' MSL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A STEEP DIVE. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND, THOUGH THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THREE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES ON 3/3/94 AND THAT HE HAD FLOWN 3.1 HOURS IN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS SINCE THAT DATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/8/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1031
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65803
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID SGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1267
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1981
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27MT
NTSB Number CHI95FA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model 690B
Aircraft Series Identifier 690B
Aircraft Serial Number 11533
Certified Max Gross Weight 9000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 11
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 12 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BILL B. LIMBAUGH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2220 STRATFORD ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MISSION HILLS
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66208
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SFG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OJC
Destination City OLATHE
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --