Cessna 320 accident near Lee'S Summit, Missouri, February 17, 1985
On February 17, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N5704X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lee'S Summit, Missouri (Mccombs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- February 17, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lee'S Summit, Missouri · Mccombs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N5704X · no longer on the register · serial 320-0004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN PLT LOWERED LANDING GEAR HE DID NOT GET A SAFE INDICATION. GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN AND WARNING HORN DID NOT SOUND WHEN THROTTLES WERE RETARDED; HOWEVER, NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING ROLL. EXAMINATION OF SYSTEM DID NOT REVEAL REASON FOR COLLAPSE BUT DAMAGE TO SYSTEM PRECLUDED VERIFICATION OF PROPER RIGGING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,632 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 3,157 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,272 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-470-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOT Hot Springs AR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from GVW, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.