Springfield Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Missouri 65803
Sunday, July 23, 1995 19:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CALLED THE CONTROL TOWER AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. HE SAID THE TOWER CONTROLLER TOLD HIM THERE WAS WEATHER ABOUT 5 MILES WEST. THE PILOT SAID HE ASSUMED THIS WAS THE SAME WEATHER DESCRIBED TO HIM DURING AN EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH THE SAME TOWER. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE RUNWAY FOR LANDING, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF A WIND SHIFT AND RUNWAY CHANGE. HE SAID THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE WIND 'JOLTED' THE AIRPLANE, '...PUSHING IT DOWN SHARPLY... .' THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A SECOND AND THIRD DOWNDRAFT. THE THIRD DOWNDRAFT FORCED THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE GROUND NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THE RAIN AND WIND THAT FOLLOWED THE ACCIDENT WERE INTENSE. AT 1915 CDT, TOWER PERSONNEL REPORTED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS AND 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot, and his continued flight into adverse weather conditions, which resulted in an uncontrolled altitude deviation and collision with terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1910
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65803
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SGF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 1267
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1915 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID SGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1267
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 40
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1485
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2159
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55212
NTSB Number CHI95LA235
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 22-9309
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES W. JENKINS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 305 E. ARIZONA
Aircraft Owner City SHERMAN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75090
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 No
Departure Airport Code 2K2
Departure City OZARK
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code SGF
Destination City
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 32
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --