Columbia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia, Missouri 65201
Thursday, October 25, 1984 22:56 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS HIGH ON THE ILS APPROACH AND FLEW A VFR VERY LOW CIRCLING APPROACH AFTER CLEARANCE TO CHANGE FROM RWY 2 TO RWY 20. THE TOWER CONTROLLER SAID THE ACFT WAS SO LOW THAT AT ONE POINT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ACFT. HE ADVISED THE PLT THAT HE APPEARED TO BE LOW. THE PLT ALSO SAID THAT HE WAS LOW ON FINAL AND COULD SEE RED ON THE VASI. A TREE LINE ISLOCATED 3500 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 20. THESE TREES ARE ABOUT 50 FT TALL AND THE ACFT CONTACTED THEM AT ABOUT 34 FT AGL. THE NIGHT WAS DARK BUT THE VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED TO BE 5 MILES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2256
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COLUMBIA
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65201
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLUMBIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID COU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 20
Airport Elevation 886
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2251 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID COU
Elevation of weather observation facility 889
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2199
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26119
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75DR
NTSB Number MKC85LA009
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA32RT-300T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA32RT-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7887163
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 1140
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DALE L. RITTERBUSCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 527 LUZON AVENUE, DAVIS ISLAND
Aircraft Owner City TAMPA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33606
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BHM
Departure City BIRMINGHAM
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code COU
Destination City COLUMBIA
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 6499
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --