19971204036979A

NARRATIVE: THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LEES SUMMIT AIRPORT AND CRASHED ONE MILE SOUTH OF AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A BEAN FIELD AT THE CORNER OF DOUGLAS AND COLBERN RD. GO EAST ON 470 AND TAKE DOUGLAS EXIT. GO NORTH TO STOPLIGHT AND MAKE A RIGHT, AT THAT POINT THE AIRCRAFT IS 500' AWAY. BOTH WINGS ARE BROKEN ON THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LANDING GEAR DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE DOWN. THE PROP ON THE LEFT ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND IS STICKING IN THE GROUND. THE PILOT WALKED 500 YARDS TO A HOUSE TO GET ASSISTANCE, HE WAS TAKEN TO RESEARCH MEDICAL CENTER. THE PILOTS PERSONAL BELONGINGS WERE REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT BY THE LEES SUMMIT POLICE DEPARTMENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED TAKING OFF DURING GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS ON A DARK NIGHT. HE SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRPLANE '...VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT... .' THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER AND AILERON TO MAINTAIN A '...SOMEWHAT LEVEL...' ATTITUDE. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE FLEW THROUGH THE TOPS OF TREES BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, WHILE HE WAS MANEUVERING TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE'S PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED, AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED FLIGHT. THE LEFT ENGINE MAGNETO SWITCHES WERE FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE LANDING LIGHT SWITCHES WERE ON. THE MAGNETO SWITCH GUARD COVER'S SELF-ERECTING SPRINGS WERE BROKEN ALLOWING THE GUARD COVER TO COVER THE LANDING LIGHT SWITCHES INSTEAD OF THE MAGNETO SWITCHES.