Piper PA-28 accident near Springfield, Missouri, July 15, 1985
On July 15, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N5424W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Missouri (Unknown airport). It was a personal 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
- July 15, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Unknown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5424W · no longer on the register · serial 28496
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AT HIS DESTINATION. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE WAS TOLD THAT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AT HIS DESTINATION WAS CONFIRMED BY RADAR. DURING THE LAST 40 MIN OF THE FLT, THE PLT FLEW PAST APRX 15 ARPTS WHERE HE COULD HAVE LANDED IN VFR CONDITIONS. DURING ARRIVAL, THE ARPT WAS WELL BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. SINCE THE ACFT WAS LOW ON FUEL, THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE ROLL-OUT THE ACFT STRUCK A BARBED WIRE FENCE & TWO FENCE POSTS.
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: 5,500 hours in all; 99 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,241 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1984; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABI Abilene TX at 5:30 pm
- Destination: SGF Springfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:26 pm from SPG, 7 miles away
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.
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.