Springfield Rgnl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bois D'arc, Missouri 65612
Friday, April 13, 1990 20:44 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PLT DEPARTED SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI AT NIGHT ON A VFR FLT TO MT VERNON, MISSOURI. AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RWY 20, A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE FOR A CLIMB TO 3000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, TOWER PERSONNEL LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT & NOTIFIED THE FAA RGNL OPN CENTER. THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 7 MI SW OF THE ARPT. A WITNESS RPRTD SEEING AN ACFT DSCND OUT OF LOW CLOUDS IN THE AREA, BUT DID NOT SEE THE ACTUAL CRASH. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT CRASHED ON AN EASTERLY HEADING, WHILE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITIDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. ALSO, NO RECORD OF A PREFLIGHT WX BRIEFING WAS FND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADVERTENT FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION, DARKNESS, LOW CEILING, AND FOG.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/13/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2044
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BOIS D'ARC
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65612
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRINGFIELD RGNL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SGF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1267
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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) 837
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 13 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42173
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6KG
NTSB Number MKC90FA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7952215
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 31 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 2737
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOUNT VERNON FIREPLACES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1200 INDUSTRIAL PARK BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City MT. VERNON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65712
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 SGF
Departure City SPRINGFIELD
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 2039
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MO20
Destination City MT VERNON
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 7003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --