Beech A-36 accident near Gray Summit, Missouri, April 15, 1985
On April 15, 1985 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech A-36, registered N7244S, was destroyed in an accident near Gray Summit, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- April 15, 1985 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gray Summit, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36 · all A-36s on the register
- Registration
- N7244S · no longer on the register · serial E-2198
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING THE ST. CLAIR AIRPORT ESTABLISHING A NORMAL CLIMB TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT 24 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST, THE ACFT WAS TRACKED BY RADAR FOR A FOUR MINUTE PERIOD. THE SHORT PERIOD OF COVERAGE SHOWED A NORMAL CLIMB TOLEVEL FLIGHT. THE RADAR IMAGE WAS LOST AT A TOWN APPROXIMATELY 8.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE ACFT WAS FOUND IMPACTED THROUGH A SMALL PENINSULA SHAPED AREA OF FORESTATION. THIS AREA WAS BOUNDED BY A RATHER LARGE AREA OF OPEN SLIGHTLY ROLLING, BUT LEVEL TERRAIN. NO MECHANICAL ABNORMALITY WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE POST-CRASH INVESTIGATION. THE PLT WAS MEDICALLY DOCUMENTED AS HAVING WOLFF-PARKINSON-WHITE SYNDROME WITH DOCUMENTED ARRHYTHMIAS. THIS CONDITION CAN HAVE PERIODS OF LOSS CONCIOUSNESS. THE PLT WAS TAKING NO MEDICATION FOR THIS CONDITION. THE AREA BOUNDING CRASH SITE WAS OF SUFFICIENT LENGHT AND WIDTH TO ACCOMODATE THIS ACFT FOR A LANDING.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,949 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 6,940 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 104 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 11, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K39 St. Clair MO at 7:56 pm
- Destination: SUS St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:45 pm from SUS, 22 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.
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.