- Date
- April 13, 1990, 20:44 local (Apr 14, 1990, 01:44 UTC)
- Place
- Bois D'Arc, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6KGPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900414008889A
- Case key
- 34881
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
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.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6KG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7952215
- Airframe hours
- 2,737
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mount Vernon Fireplaces, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 31, 1989 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- SGF · Springfield, MO
- Destination
- MO20 · Mt Vernon, MO
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- SGF · Springfield Rgnl, runway 20, 7,003 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SGF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.