Cessna 414 accident near Springfield, Missouri, January 27, 1997
On January 27, 1997 at about 7:41 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N414AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Missouri (Springfield Regional). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued flight into known icing conditions with an inadequate windscreen deicing system and the diminished visual lookout. Factors were the icing weather conditions and the windscreen ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 1997 · about 7:41 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Springfield Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N414AM · registry record · serial 414-0813
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tower controller reported that the airplane touched down on runway 2 abeam the north VASI, 'left of centerline.' The left main landing gear departed the runway to the left two different times prior to the runway 32 intersection. 'The aircraft veered further left... the nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft did a 180 degree turn.' The passenger reported that he could see ice on the windscreen during the approach. From where he was sitting, he 'could not see through it due to ice.' During a preflight weather briefing, the pilot was advised of PIREPs for icing along the route and NOTAMs concerning thin ice on the runway at Springfield. Photographs of the airplane taken by fire and rescue personnel immediately following the accident exhibit the windscreen obscured by rime ice. The airplane was equipped with an alcohol windscreen deicing system and no electric windscreen heat. The Cessna 414 pilot's operating handbook specifies an 'electric anti-icing pilot's windshield' must be installed for flight into icing conditions.
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; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trace Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CHA Chattanooga TN at 5:00 pm
- Destination: SGI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 7,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from SGI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.