Beech BE-55 and Piper PA-28-181 mid-air collision near Springfield, Missouri, March 4, 2002
On March 4, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech BE-55 (N66X) and Piper PA-28-181 (N9272L), were involved in a mid-air collision near Springfield, Missouri. No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate visual lookout by the flightcrew in the Baron.
The inadequate visual lookout by the flightcrew of the other airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · map
- Type
- Incident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech BE-55
- Registration
- N66X · no longer on the register · serial TC-773
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N9272L · registry record · serial 2843077
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech BE-55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-181 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Beech BE-55 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 964 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 875 as pilot in command; 580 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,364 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 2001; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BPK Mountain Home AR at 6:00 pm
- Destination: LXT Lee'S Summit MO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from SGF, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-181 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 178 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,695 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 20, 2002; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BPK Mountain Home AR at 5:45 pm
- Destination: LXT Lee'S Summit MO
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.