Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lincoln, Kansas 67455
Thursday, March 28, 1996 23:35 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot received two weather briefs prior to his departure, all briefs were forecasting VFR conditions along the route of flight. The pilot departed late out of Topeka en route to Salina, KS to pick up a passenger. The pilot did not update his weather brief prior to taking off from Salina en route to Denver. At the time of the accident the weather station west of the accident site reported a measured ceiling of 1,100 overcast. At 2359 cst, Salina Airport's reported an 1,800 foot overcast cloud layer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot became spatially disoriented and failed to maintain control of the airplane. The factors involved were the pilot encountered VFR flight into IMC, pressure induced by conditions/events, low ceilings, and the dark light conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2335
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LINCOLN
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67455
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1135 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID RSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1862
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1175
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 711
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8214W
NTSB Number CHI96FA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-2347
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 7 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 302
Airframe Hours 6258
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOPEKA FLYERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6432 SW WENTLEY LANE
Aircraft Owner City TOPEKA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66614
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SLN
Departure City SALINA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 2255
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DEN
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --