What happened
On June 28, 2007, a Piper PA-46-500TP, registration N477MD, crashed into terrain near Wellsville, Missouri. The aircraft had departed from Spirit of St Louis Airport at approximately 0750, bound for Buffalo Municipal Airport in Minnesota. Before departure, the pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and received a weather update noting thunderstorm activity and heavy rain along the intended route. The pilot indicated that the aircraft was equipped with radar for weather avoidance.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was under the direction of St. Louis (Gateway) Departure. During this phase, the pilot requested and received approval for a northerly course deviation to avoid precipitation. After being cleared to climb to 10,000 feet, the pilot coordinated with Kansas City Center (ZKC). Following a series of controller handovers, the aircraft was cleared to climb to flight level 230.
At 0812:26, while under the control of the ZKC R53 controller, the aircraft's radar track showed a left turn. When the controller inquired about a deviation, the pilot transmitted that the aircraft was experiencing problems. Subsequent attempts by air traffic control to establish communication were unsuccessful, and radar contact was lost. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground in an open field, resulting in three fatalities.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced an in-flight breakup prior to impacting the terrain.
- The flight was operating under IFR in visual meteorological conditions.
- No weather updates were provided to the pilot by the Kansas City Center controllers during the period the aircraft was under their jurisdiction.