Cessna 177 accident near Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri, December 29, 1997
On December 29, 1997 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 177, registered N30255, was destroyed in an accident near Ft. Leonardwood, 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
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance and his inadequate inflight decision which resulted in VFR flight in to instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot's overconfidence in his ability is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1997 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N30255 · registry record · serial 17701153
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot obtained outlook and abbreviated weather briefings before departing on an extended cross country. During the abbreviated weather briefing the FAA's FSS specialist advised the pilot that '...VFR flight is not recommended.' The pilot said he would call the FAA FSS back before departure. There was no record of a return call by the pilot. Later in the day, the pilot landed at an airport midway between his departure airport and planned destination. While at the airport he refueled the airplane and obtained a weather briefing. The pilot told the airport manager that the FSS specialist told him that VFR flight was not recommended. The manager suggested the pilot fly south into eastern Kansas, west of the weather system, land and check the weather before continuing. Relatives reported the pilot missing on December 28, 1997. The airplane was found on April 17, 1998. The on-scene examination revealed the airplane collided with trees, terrain and was destroyed by fire. Examination of the airframe, engine and flight control system revealed no anomalies that would have prevented flight. Weather reported about 60 miles southwest and 35 miles northeast of the accident site showed IMC conditions at the approximate time of the accident.
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
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUD Audubon IA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 28.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from VIH, 36 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.
Other NTSB records under N30255 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.