Piper PA-28-151 accident near Springfield, Missouri, November 3, 1984
On November 3, 1984, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N44095, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Missouri (Springfield Reg.). It was an instructional 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
- November 3, 1984
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Springfield Reg.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N44095 · no longer on the register · serial 287415581
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING, WHILE ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. THE CFI SAID AFTER THE CLIMB TOCRUISE THE ENG BEGAN TO SLOW DWN. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT TO RETURN TO ARPT OF DEPARTURE. HE SAID THE VIBRATIONWAS EXCESSIVE AS THE ENG CONTINUED TO LOSE RPM. THE ENG WAS SHUT DWN AFTER THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED FROM 3500 TO 700 FT AGL. THE CFI SAID AS THE TURN TO FINAL WAS MADE IT WAS APPARENT THAT THEY WOULD LAND SHORT OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD BUT IMPACTED TREES DURING THE ROLLOUT. POST ACC EXAM SHOWED THAT THE OIL LINES WERE THE ORIGINALEQUIPMENT. THE ACFT SERVICE MANUAL STATES THAT THE OIL LINES SHOULD BE REPLACED AS REQUIRED, BUT NO LATER THAN 1000 HRS.THE ACFT LOG LISTS 5 ANNUALS AND ONE 100 HR INSP COMPLETED SINCE THE ACFT ACCUMULATED 1000 OPERATIONAL HRS. THE ACFT OILCOOLER'S INLET OIL LINE FAILED DURING THE TRANSITION FROM CLIMB TO CRUISE FLT. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN LOSS OF THE ENG'SOIL SUPPLY AND SUBSEQUENT ENG FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 31,300 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1984; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.