Background
On April 30, 1983, a pilot telephoned the St. Louis Flight Service Station and requested weather information for the Kansas City area. The weather briefer informed the pilot that the area was under a tornado watch. The pilot acknowledged the advisory and received the requested briefing. No flight plan was filed, and the pilot made no radio calls during the flight.
Accident
The flight was monitored on radar and observed to disappear at 2033 Central Daylight Time. The aircraft entered a high-speed descent and crashed into a wooded area. Weather maps indicated that the aircraft was in a thunderstorm area at the time of the crash. The pilot, who was not instrument rated, and the three passengers were fatally injured.
Search and Recovery
After the pilot was reported missing, a position was plotted based on the last known radar contact. The wreckage was located on May 3, 1983, by the Civil Air Patrol.