Beech E18S accident near Kansas City, Missouri, December 9, 1994
On December 9, 1994 at about 2:38 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N5647D, was destroyed in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri (Kansas City International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 ADEQUATE AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER (ICING) CONDITIONS, THE ACCUMULATION OF AIRFRAME/WING ICE, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE ANTI-ICE/DEICE EQUIPMENT, INADEQUATE TRAINING OF THE PILOT CONCERNING FLIGHT IN ICING CONDITIONS, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE OPERATION BY THE CHIEF PILOT (COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1994 · about 2:38 am local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · Kansas City International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N5647D · registry record · serial BA364
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL AT NIGHT IN FOG AND DRIZZLE, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS RUNWAY 1L APPROACH. WHILE ON THE APPROACH, SHE REPORTED ENCOUNTERING MODERATE RIME ICE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED INBOUND ON THE LOCALIZER UNTIL IT NEARED THE MIDDLE MARKER, THEN IT DEVIATED ABOUT 20 DEGREES LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, ABOUT 300' SHORT AND 300' LEFT OF THE THRESHOLD. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE STOPPED ITS DESCENT AND SLOWED DOWN, SHORTLY BEFORE ENTERING A STEEP DESCENT AND A SPIN. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT AIRFRAME, CONTROL SYSTEM, OR POWERPLANT ANOMALIES. THE WINGS HAD 1/4 INCH OF ICE ON THE LEADING EDGE AND A 1/2 INCH HIGH RIDGE OF ICE, PARALLEL TO THE DEICING BOOTS, ABOUT 3 INCHES AFT OF THE BOOTS. THE COCKPIT AND WINDSHIELD HEATING SYSTEM WERE FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. COMPANY RECORDS SHOWED SHE HAD PASSED A 14 CFR PART 135 CHECKRIDE ON MAY 20, 1994. THE FAA CHECKRIDE FORM WAS ADMINISTERED AND SIGNED BY THE CHIEF PILOT. HOWEVER, OTHER RECORDS/INFORMATION SHOWED THE CHIEF PILOT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE GIVEN THE CHECKRIDE ON 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,523 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DMO Sedalia MO at 1:52 am
- Destination: MCI MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1, 10,801 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:39 am from MCI, 1 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.