Champion 7KCAB accident near Boonville, Missouri, August 24, 1983
On August 24, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N5270X, was destroyed in an accident near Boonville, Missouri. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 24, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Boonville, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5270X · no longer on the register · serial 226
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE DURING AN AEROBATIC TRAINING FLT. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF STRETCH ON THE SEAT BELTS OF BOTH SEATS. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT'S BODY WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE; HOWEVER, THE PRIVATE PLT'S BODY WAS FOUND ABOUT 900 FT EAST OF THE WRECKAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE PRIVATE PLT'S PARACHUTE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF IMPACT DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE CABLE BETWEEN THE RIGHT REAR RUDDER PEDAL & THE RUDDER WAS FOUND DISCONNECTED AT THE PEDAL END. THE END OF THE CABLE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE NICOPRESS SLEEVE. THE SLEEVE WAS TESTED WITH ATERMINAL GAUGE & THE COMPRESSED PORTION OF THE SLEEVE WOULD NOT ENTER THE GAUGE. IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED IF THE CABLEDISCONNECTED PRIOR TO OR DURING 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 939 hours in all; 242 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 802 as pilot in command; 535 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,183 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1983; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from COU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.