Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Springfield, Missouri 65802
Friday, December 12, 2014 17:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On December 12, 2014, about 1730 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-301T, single-engine airplane, N3127R, was substantially damaged after impacting an obstruction and terrain during an approach to landing at Downtown Airport (3DW), Springfield, Missouri. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured and the other two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to PPG Properties, LLC; and was operated Integrity Home Care, Inc.; both of Springfield, Missouri. Night low visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. The airplane had departed Lee's Summit Municipal Airport (LXT), Lee's Summit, Missouri, about 1620 and was destined for 3DW.
The airplane had descended on an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF), Springfield, Missouri. After reaching VMC the pilot cancelled the IFR flight plan and advised he was proceeding direct to 3DW. Witnesses about 2 miles southwest from 3DW saw the northeast bound airplane impact the top of a 367 foot tall tower and continue flying northeast. Other witnesses about one mile from the tower saw the airplane impact trees and terrain. The witnesses immediately called 9-1-1 emergency.
An examination of the airplane wreckage showed the tips of all three propeller blades were missing and there was impact damage on the left wing that breached the left wing fuel tank and penetrated from the leading edge all the way through to the front side of the spar of the left wing. An examination of the tower showed the 17 foot tall lightning rod and mast were separated and impact damaged. The tips of all three propeller blades and the separated portion of the left flap were found on the ground near the base of the tower, and parts of the lightning rod and mast were found wedged in the top of the tower structure. Police officers that responded that evening to the tower location after the accident reported that the white strobe light on the top of the tower was still operating.
At 1652 the automated weather observing system at SGF, located about 5 miles northwest from the accident location, reported wind from 180 degrees at 6 knots, visibility of 10 miles, overcast clouds at 1,800 feet, temperature 11 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 7 degrees C, with an altimeter setting of 30.26 inches of Mercury. Data from the United States Naval Observatory indicated that sunset occurred at 1656, and the end of civil twilight occurred at 1725.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/12/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1730 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Springfield |
| Event State | MISSOURI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 65802 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 371305N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931557W |
| Event Location Airport | DOWNTOWN |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3DW |
| 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 | 256 |
| Airport Elevation | 1374 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 283 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSGF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1270 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.26 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Reg'l Opns Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 19 2014 2:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3127R |
| NTSB Number | CEN15LA077 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | NEW PIPER AIRCRAFT INC |
| Aircraft Model | PA 32R-301T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3257406 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 11 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 388 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PPG PROPERTIES LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2960 N EASTGATE AVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | SPRINGFIELD |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 65803 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | INTEGRITY HOME CARE, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 2960 N EASTGATE AVE |
| Operator City | SPRINGFIELD |
| Operator State | MO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 65803 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | LXT |
| Departure City | LEE'S SUMMIT |
| Departure State | MO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1620 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 3DW |
| Destination City | Springfield |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 19 2014 3:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 11 |
| Runway Length | 4037 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |