Mooney M20F accident near Springfield, Missouri, March 22, 1983
On March 22, 1983 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Mooney M20F, registered N3386X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Missouri (Springfield). 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 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
- March 22, 1983 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Springfield
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20F · all M20Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3386X · no longer on the register · serial 670030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHEN THE LEFT MAIN AND NOSE GEARS COLLAPSED WHILE THE PILOT WAS TAXIING IN FROM LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RUNWAY 31 AND HAD BEGUN A RIGHT TURN ONTO A TAXIWAY WHEN THE NOSE GEAR AND THEN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR RETRACTED. THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS FOUND IN THE GEAR RETRACTED POSITION. THE PILOT SAID THE LANDING GEAR INDICATED DOWN AND LOCKED PRIOR TO LANDING BUT THE GEAR HANDLE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LATCHED IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PILOT ALSO SAID HE DID NOT HEAR THE LANDING GEAR UNSAFE WARNING HORN DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. AN FAA INSPECTOR SAID THE WARNING HORN WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT AND DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR LATCH MECHANISM DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFICIENCIES.
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: 572 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 527 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,076 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1982; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 89K Faucett MO at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,598 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:21 pm from SGF
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.
Other NTSB records under N3386X 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.