# NTSB CHI02IA085: Beech BE-55, N66X, Springfield, MO, March 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: March 4, 2002, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Springfield, MO - Coordinates: 37.010169, -93.20092 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0102&lon=-93.2009&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54305 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02IA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54305/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54305 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02IA085 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) The inadequate visual lookout by the flightcrew of the other airplane. ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) The inadequate visual lookout by the flightcrew in the Baron. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Midair collision, cruise - visual lookout - inadequate, flightcrew (cause) - Midair collision, cruise - visual lookout - inadequate, flightcrew of other aircraft (cause) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) A Beech Baron sustained minor damage during a mid-air collision with a Piper Archer. The Archer also received minor damage. Earlier in the day, the Baron pilot had flown the pilot of the Archer to Mountain Home (BPK), Arkansas, so the Archer pilot could ferry the Archer back to Lee's Summit (LXT), Missouri. The Archer departed BPK about 1145 and the Baron departed BPK about 1200. Both airplanes were flying at 6,500 feet msl on approximate headings of 330 degrees to LXT. The Baron overtook the Archer. When the CFI, who was giving flight instruction in the Baron, saw the Archer, he pushed the yoke forward and to fly under the Archer. The vertical stabilizer of the Baron struck the left main landing gear of the Archer. After the incident, the Baron made a precautionary landing. The Archer continued en route and landed safely at LXT. The Baron pilot reported that just prior to the incident, he was discussing with the student pilot the emergency procedures involving manual landing gear extension procedures. He reported, "I pointed down to the floorboard at the indicator for 2-3 seconds when I heard an expletive from the backseat and looked up. I saw two wheels and a fuselage and immediately pushed forward on the controls and felt a bump. Someone in the back seat immediately said we hit them, I then realized we had just hit an aircraft. I made a shallow turn to the right to make visual contact and the passengers told me it appeared to be the Archer, and that it appeared to be OK." The Baron pilot and the Archer pilot did not brief what altitudes they would be flying on their return trips to LXT. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) A Beech Baron sustained minor damage during a mid-air collision with a Piper Archer. The Archer also received minor damage. Earlier in the day, the Baron pilot had flown the pilot of the Archer to Mountain Home (BPK), Arkansas, so the Archer pilot could ferry the Archer back to Lee's Summit (LXT), Missouri. The Archer departed BPK about 1145 and the Baron departed BPK about 1200. Both airplanes were flying at 6,500 feet msl on approximate headings of 330 degrees to LXT. The Baron overtook the Archer. When the CFI, who was giving flight instruction in the Baron, saw the Archer, he pushed the yoke forward and attempted to fly under the Archer. The vertical stabilizer of the Baron struck the left main landing gear of the Archer. After the incident, the Baron made a precautionary landing. The Archer continued en route and landed safely at LXT. The Baron pilot reported that just prior to the incident, he was discussing with the student pilot the emergency procedures involving manual landing gear extension procedures. He reported, "I pointed down to the floorboard at the indicator for 2-3 seconds when I heard an expletive from the backseat and looked up. I saw two wheels and a fuselage and immediately pushed forward on the controls and felt a bump. Someone in the back seat immediately said we hit them, I then realized we had just hit an aircraft. I made a shallow turn to the right to make visual contact and the passengers told me it appeared to be the Archer, and that it appeared to be OK." The Baron pilot and the Archer pilot did not brief what altitudes they would be flying on their return trips to LXT. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 2) See Narrative for CHI02IA085A. ## Factual narrative (aircraft 1) On March 4, 2002, about 1230 central standard time, a Beech Baron, BE-55, N66X, sustained minor damage during a mid-air collision with a Piper Archer, PA-28-181, N9272L, 20 miles southeast of Springfield, Missouri. The Archer also received minor damage. The certified flight instructor (CFI), the commercial dual student pilot, and two passengers who were on board the Baron reported no injuries. The commercial pilot flying the Archer was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight originated from Mountain Home (BPK), Arkansas, en route to Lee's Summit (LXT), Missouri. The Archer that was on a 14 CFR Part 91 repositioning flight, had also departed BPK en route to LXT. The Archer departed at 1145 and the Baron departed about 1200. The airplanes were not flying a formation flight. Both airplanes were flying at 6,500 feet msl direct to LXT on an approximate heading of 330 degrees. The Baron overtook the Archer. When the CFI in the Baron saw the Archer, he pushed the yoke forward and attempted to fly under the Archer. The vertical stabilizer of the Baron struck the left main landing gear of the Archer. After the incident, the Baron made a precautionary landing at Springfield (SGF), Missouri, and the Archer continued en route and landed uneventfully at LXT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and neither airplane was on a flight plan. The Baron pilot reported that he had flown the pilot of the Archer, along with a student pilot and two other passengers, from LXT to BPK earlier in the day. The purpose of the flight was to drop off the pilot of the Archer so he could ferry the Archer back to LXT. The Baron pilot reported that once they were on the ground at BPK, the pilot of the Archer prepared to get the Archer ready for takeoff. The Baron pilot reported that he did not talk with the Archer pilot about what altitudes or routes that either pilot planned to use on the return trip to LXT. The Baron pilot reported that he was briefing his commercial rated student pilot when the Archer departed about 1145. The Baron pilot reported the Baron departed about 1200 and climbed to 6,500 feet msl direct to LXT. He reported that he was in the right seat giving flight instruction regarding various instrument flight rules, multi-engine procedures, and emergency procedures during the flight back to LXT. He reported that he started discussing emergency procedures involving the manual landing gear extension procedures. He reported, "While saying this, I pointed down to the floorboard at the indicator for 2-3 seconds when I heard an expletive from the backseat and looked up. I saw two wheels and a fuselage and immediately pushed forward on the controls and felt a bump. Someone in the back seat immediately said we hit them, I then realized we had just hit an aircraft. I made a shallow turn to the right to make visual contact and the passengers told me it appeared to be the Archer, and that it appeared to be OK. I then immediately made a turn towards Springfield Regional." The pilot reported he made an uneventful landing at SGF. The Archer pilot reported he departed BPK and climbed to 6,500 feet msl, turned on the autopilot, and set the heading bug for a direct flight back to LXT. He reported that about 15 to 20 miles from SGF something slammed into the airplane that lifted the left wing. He reported, "At the same time a twin came up from under me and climbed slightly and turned to the right. Then I caught the turbulence from his plane, my motor shuddered...the autopilot corrected my plane back to straight and level flight. I checked all my gages everything seamed ok." He reported he did not know if there was any damage to the airplane but it flew fine. He continued on course and landed safely at LXT. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: N66X (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Beech BE-55 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC-773 - Airframe hours: 5364 - Engines: Continental IO-520-E 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Tax Shoppe Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 26, 2001, 118 hours before - Departed: BPK, MOUNTAIN HOME, AR - Destination: LXT, Lee's Summit, MO ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N9272L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9272L), registered now, S/N 2843077, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-A4M](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a4m) (registry code 42276, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2843077 - Airframe hours: 1695 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Registered owner: Venture Aircraft LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 20, 2002, 25 hours before - Departed: BPK, Mountain Home, AR - Destination: LXT, Lee's Summit, MO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor, aircraft N66X; age 20; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 26, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 964 total, 113 in this make and model, 875 as pilot in command, 74 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot, aircraft N66X; injuries: none - Pilot, aircraft N9272L; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 20, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 178 total, 159 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 17 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 14 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: SGF, 20 nm away ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54305. 856 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (N66X) (item 1, .PDF, 431 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391943&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(N66X)-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (N9272L) (item 2, .PDF, 302 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391945&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20(N9272L)-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Record of Interview (item 3, .PDF, 123 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40391950&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Record%20of%20Interview-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.