JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Auditor Tom Schweich released a new audit Tuesday critical of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s purchase of a new plane for executive and employee transportation.

Schweich’s audit claimed that the Highway Patrol failed to justify the need for the $5.6 million King Air 230, which it purchased last December. The plane, one of now six in the state’s fleet, is used most often for transportation of Gov. Jay Nixon, but is also used for other patrol functions.

According to Schweich’s analyis, there were 113 days on which none of the state’s passenger planes flew. The patrol owns two pressurized aircraft, like the new King Air, but there were only 58 days when both aircraft took off.

Schweich reccommended the Highway Patrol undertake an analysis of need before purchasing another plane, and suggested that while the Highway Patrol was not breaking the law by not informing the legislature of their decision to purchase a new aircraft, they should consdier it next time.

The issue of the plane arose at the beginning of the legislative session, when lawmakers learned of the Highway Patrol’s new purchase. The plane was bought using funds appropriated by the General Assembly the year before for the purchase of vehicles.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reported on Monday that Nixon was the state’s most frequent flyer in 2012. According to the paper, Nixon used the Highway Patrol’s aircraft on 104 of the 125 flights last year. The paper reported that the new plane costs the state $650 to operate.