What happened
On the night of the accident, American 711 was operating en route toward its destination, passing near Vichy along Victor Airway 14. The flight established communication with Springfield Approach Control at approximately 22:18, providing an estimated arrival time at the Springfield VOR station of 22:33. During this period, the controller provided weather updates indicating a ceiling of 400 feet and visibility of 10 miles. Following these updates, the crew expressed their intention to land at Springfield and were cleared for a standard range approach.
After receiving clearance to descend at their discretion, the flight notified the controller that they would perform a circling approach to runway 31. At 22:34, the crew reported passing over the Omni station at an altitude of 3,400 feet and proceeding toward the airfield. Roughly two minutes later, an explosion was observed and heard north-northwest of the airport. Subsequent attempts to communicate with the aircraft were unsuccessful. The Convair crashed approximately 0.25 miles short of runway 31 and was completely destroyed. The accident resulted in 13 fatalities, including both pilots and 11 passengers.
Findings
Investigation into the crash revealed that weather conditions at Springfield were within the legal minimums for an American Airlines Convair to conduct a VOR instrument approach and circling maneuver. However, the flight did not follow the approved VOR instrument approach procedure, instead flying directly from the station toward the airport. While visual reference to the ground was possible before the aircraft turned toward the field, it was unlikely at the altitude being maintained.
Analysis showed that the aircraft was flown visually below the overcast for several miles while remaining near the required 193-degree inbound radial. The investigation concluded that the crew's inattention to flight instruments and a possible sensory illusion led the aircraft to descend into the ground approximately 1-1/14 miles north-northwest of the airport. There was no evidence of mechanical failure or an onboard emergency prior to the impact.