Beech A36 accident near Downing, Missouri, October 30, 2004
On October 30, 2004 at about 1:40 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N55448, was destroyed in an accident near Downing, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaing airplane control during cruise flight. Factors present were night and thunderstorm conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 2004 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Downing, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N55448 · registry record · serial E-2548
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane piloted by an instrument rated private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain and post impact fire. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The pilot established radio communications with the air traffic controller on duty at an Air Route Traffic Control Center's radar position about 2027. The controller gave the pilot the position's current altimeter setting. The air traffic controller observed the flight enter an area of weather. At about 2036, an air traffic controller advised the pilot that radar contact was lost. The pilot did not respond. No further radio communications were established with the flight. A witness, who was a commercial pilot, stated, "Aircraft spun out of clouds, began recovery, hit the ground, [and] burst of flame immediately." The flight's National Track Analysis Program radar data was plotted on Doppler weather radar base reflectivity depictions. That plotted data showed that the airplane entered an area of weather consistent with level three to level four thunderstorm activity. Surface weather observations showed VFR weather was present. An on-scene examination was performed. A gyro and its housing from a flight instrument were examined. That examination revealed rotational scoring. The turn coordinator was found destroyed. The face from the turn coordinator showed the airplane in a right bank turn. A section of right wing tip was found near a ground scar. The navigation light on that wingtip contained a green media. The left wing was found detached from the fuselage. Control cables were traced. All breaks in control cables were consistent with overload. No airframe or engine pre-impact anomalies were detected.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 657 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (6) (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SFD Winner SD at 11:00 pm
- Destination: AID Anderson IN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 220° at 18 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from IRK, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N55448 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.