Beech A-60 accident near Lexington, Missouri, July 9, 1988
On July 9, 1988 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Beech A-60, registered N7578D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Missouri (Lexington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE AIRCRAFT WITH A FUEL SUPPLY ADEQUATE TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED FLIGHT AND THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE ACTIVE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1988 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Missouri · Lexington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-60 · all A-60s on the register
- Registration
- N7578D · no longer on the register · serial P-177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC BOARDED 5 PSNGR'S AND A FUEL LOAD OF 120 GALLONS FOR A 375 NM TRIP TO KANSAS. THE PIC STATED HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS ALOFT THAT REDUCED HIS FUEL SUPPLY TO A CRITICAL STATE. WHILE AT CRUISE FLT ABOUT 51 NM SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION THE RIGHT ENG QUIT DUE TO AN INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY. A RQST OF ATC FOR VECTORS TO THE CLOSEST ARPT WAS MADE. WITNESSES OSRVD THE ACFT CIRCLE THE ARPT SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE PIC STATING HE WAS CONCERNED ABT THE PRESENCE OF SKY JUMPERS IN THE AREA. THE CONCERN INCREASED WHEN AN ACFT PULLED ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY AT THE LEXINGTON ARPT AFTER THE ACFT WAS COMMITTED TO LAND. WITNESSES INDICATED THE ACFT LANDED NOSE WHEEL FIRST AND CAREENED TO THE RT SIDE OF THE RWY AND OFF INTO SOFT TERRAIN. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AS THE ACFT DPTD THE RWY, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A LEFT GEAR COLLAPSE AND SEPERATION, AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. REMAINING FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS DETERMINED TO BE 9 GALLONS IN THE LEFT WING TANK AND NONE IN THE RIGHT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,285 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 10, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Chicago IL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: IXD Olathe KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from MKC, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.