What happened
On August 27, 2025, at approximately 11:58 CDT, a Cessna 340A, registration N888MT, crashed near Kearney, Missouri. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.
According to ADS-B data, the aircraft departed Washington Regional Airport (KFYG) at approximately 10:57 and was cruising at 4,500 feet MSL toward Midwest National Air Center Airport (KGPH). Approximately 25 miles from the destination, the aircraft descended into the traffic pattern to perform a left base turn. During this phase, the aircraft's altitude was lower than standard for a traffic pattern and continued to decrease.
An eyewitness near the site observed the aircraft appearing low and slow. The witness reported seeing the left wing dip momentarily before returning to level flight, followed by a second left wing dip that caused the aircraft to roll left into the terrain. The impact occurred in an uncultivated soybean field roughly 0.6 miles from the approach end of runway 18. The crash resulted in 2 fatal injuries.
The investigation
On-scene examination of the wreckage revealed that the landing gear was in the down position and the flaps were retracted. Investigators found that flight control continuity was maintained from the cockpit to the flight controls. While the cockpit instrumentation and electronic displays were largely destroyed by a post-impact fire, the wreckage was retained for further study.
Physical evidence at the site included ground scars consistent with the nose and left wing of the aircraft. The debris field measured approximately 95 feet long, oriented along a 225° magnetic heading. The main wreckage, which included the fuselage, empennage, wings, and both engines, was aligned on a 120° magnetic heading. Additionally, a divot in the ground contained the right propeller assembly, which had fractured at the crankshaft.