Rockwell 112A accident near Gravois Mills, Missouri, October 5, 1985
On October 5, 1985 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Rockwell 112A, registered N1347J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gravois Mills, Missouri (Wulff Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- October 5, 1985 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Gravois Mills, Missouri · Wulff Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112A
- Registration
- N1347J · no longer on the register · serial 347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED ON FINAL WITH THE GEAR DOWN, FLYING ALONG A RIDGE THAT WAS BESIDE A LAKE. WITNESSES STATED THAT IT WAS BELOW THE ELEVATION OF THE ARPT THAT WAS ON TOP OF THE HILL. TWO WITNESSES ALSO STATED THAT THE ENG WAS RUNNING BUT NOT AT FULL PWR. WHEN THE ACFT WAS JUST SHORT OF THE HILL, IT MADE A STEEP 180 DEG TURN TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDED INTO THE WATER AND FLIPPED FORWARD TO THE INVERTED POSITION.THE PLT AND HIS WIFE WERE STILL ALIVE FOR THE THREE OR FOUR MINUTES THAT THE ACFT REMAINED AFLOAT. IT WAS RECOVERED IN 15 FT OF WATER.
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: 349 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,154 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1985; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GVW Kansas City MO at 1:20 pm
- Destination: 04K Gravois Mills MO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 2,575 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from COU, 45 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.