Night Instrument Approach Accident at Springfield-Branson Regional Airport (N5083C)

Approach and Crash Details The pilot was on his last flight leg for that evening and was carrying cancelled bank checks. He was cleared by Kansas City Center for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to runway 02 at Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. The aircraft crashed about a mile short of runway 02 while on the night instrument approach. ## Weather and Altimeter Information Weather at the time of the accident was reported as two hundred feet overcast with visibility at one and a quarter mile in mist. Winds were reported at one five zero degrees at nineteen with gusts to two four. The altimeter setting was 30.24 inches. After the accident, the Kollsman window of the aircraft’s altimeter was found set to 30.50 inches. ## Communications Kansas City Center transmitted to the pilot: “the new Springfield weather just came out uh has still has two hundred feet overcast visibility uh one and one-quarter mile now and uh mist wind one five zero at one niner gusting to two four altimeter uh is uh three zero two four.” The pilot acknowledged: “three zero two four prompt air five fifty.” ## Pilot Condition and Work Schedule A baggage handler who loaded the airplane before the pilot departed for Springfield said the pilot “looked very tired and fatigued.” The pilot had commenced his workday at approximately 1800 CST the day before the accident.