Aero Commander 690B accident near Springfield, Missouri, October 8, 1994
On October 8, 1994 at about 3:31 pm local time, a Aero Commander 690B, registered N27MT, was destroyed in an accident near Springfield, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1994 · about 3:31 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 690B · all 690Bs on the register
- Registration
- N27MT · registry record · serial 11533
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKING OFF ON AN IFR FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB INTO A LOW OVERCAST. THE PILOT CONTACTED DEPARTURE CONTROL AND REPORTED CLIMBING THROUGH 2200' FOR AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 5000' MSL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A STEEP DIVE. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND, THOUGH THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THREE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES ON 3/3/94 AND THAT HE HAD FLOWN 3.1 HOURS IN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS SINCE THAT DATE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,737 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SFG at 3:30 pm
- Destination: OJC Olathe KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SGF, 3 miles away
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.