Amateur-built 690B accident near Willow Springs, Missouri, October 3, 1990
On October 3, 1990 at about 11:20 pm local time, a amateur-built 690B, registered N691WM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willow Springs, Missouri. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRPLANES ENCOUNTER WITH A STATIC DISCHARGE, TURBULENCE AND A DOWNDRAFT IN THE CLOUDS WHICH WERE ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1990 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Willow Springs, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 690B
- Registration
- N691WM · registry record · serial 11399
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, THE TWIN-ENGINED TURBO-PROP AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LARGE STATIC DISCHARGE AND SEVERE TURBULENCE SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE COMBINED EVENT CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO ENTER A RAPID, UNCONTROLLED, DESCENT DURING WHICH STRUCTURAL OVERLOAD DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE DESCENT IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LANDED AT A NEARBY AIRPORT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,325 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-5-251K (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wallmart Stores, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CPS Cahokia IL at 11:20 pm
- Destination: ROG Rogers AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.