Piper PA-23-250 accident near Springfield, Missouri, April 5, 1988
On April 5, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N62551, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Missouri (Springfield Dtwn). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 5, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Missouri · Springfield Dtwn
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N62551 · registry record · serial 27-7654033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A NARROW RUNWAY, WITH APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN 4 MILES OF THE AIRPORT, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST BY THE PLT DURING THE ROLLOUT. PLT STATED A SUDDEN CHANGE IN SURFACE WIND DIRECTION MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO THE SOFT, MUDDY SHOULDER. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND BOTH PROPELLERS WERE DAMAGED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,166 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 965 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,024 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VIH Rolla MO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 3DW Springfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,800 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:49 pm from SGF, 8 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.