Cessna 551 accident near Mountain View, Missouri, November 18, 1982
On November 18, 1982 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 551, registered N2CA, was destroyed in an accident near Mountain View, Missouri (Moutain View Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1982 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain View, Missouri · Moutain View Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 551 · all 551s on the register
- Registration
- N2CA · registry record · serial 5510024
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT CALLED FROM HOME AT 0909 FOR AN IFR CLEARANCE WHICH BECAME VALID UNTIL 0930. HE SAID HE NEEDED 15 MIN TO GET TO THE ARPT. THE CALL ENDED AT 0914. THE CHIEF PLT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT WHILE THE PLT WAS ENROUTE TO THE ARPT. THE PLT ARRIVED BETWEEN 0920 & 0925. AFTER ENPLANING & LOADING, HE MADE AN IMMEDIATE START & TAXIED A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE RWY.THE CHIEF PLT NOTED THAT APRX 2 MIN HAD ELAPSED FROM THE ENG START UNTIL THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS STARTED. UP TO 3 MIN WAS NEEDED FOR THE GYRO TO BE UP TO SPEED AFTER THE GENERATOR HAD BEEN SELECTED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE CEILING WAS BETWEEN 20-100 FT & THE VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED BY FOG. THE ACFT TOOK OFF AT 0930. AT 0934 NOTIFICATION WAS RECEIVED THAT THE ACFT HAD CRASHED. IT IMPACTED 1.75 MI NORTH OF THE ARPT IN ABOUT A 30 DEG NOSE DOWN, 90 DEG LEFT BANK ATTITUDE.NO PREIMPACT FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE CHIEF PLT STATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES ON THE PREVIOUS FLT, BUT HENOTED THAT SOME AVIONICS HAD BEEN SLOW TO WARM UP. ALSO THAT THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY USED THE COPLT'S HSI DURING TAKEOFF.
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: 3,750 hours in all; 1,750 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Coin Acceptors, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Mountain View MO at 9:30 am
- Destination: St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 4,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.