Osage City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Osage City, Kansas 66523
Monday, May 18, 1992 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING WITH CALM TO VERY LIGHT WIND CONDITIONS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN '...HOPPING LIGHTLY... .' SHORTLY AFTER THE LIGHT 'HOPPING' THE AIRPLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH TWO DITCHES AND A ROAD WHICH WERE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY EDGE. THE AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE 40 FOOT WIDE RUNWAY HAS 1/2 TO 1 INCH DEPRESSIONS ON ITS SURFACE. HE ALSO STATED THAT ANOTHER AIRPLANE HAD THE SAME TYPE ACCIDENT ABOUT TWO MONTHS EARLIER. THE MANAGER STATED THAT SHALLOW, WAVY, RUTS RUN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ROUGH/UNEVEN RUNWAY SURFACE AND THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OSAGE CITY
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66523
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OSAGE CITY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 53K
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 1105
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
Weather Observation Facility ID EMP
Elevation of weather observation facility 1206
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2046
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46838
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15619
NTSB Number CHI92LA153
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7325117
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 21 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEN D. EPPERLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 213 N. 3RD
Aircraft Owner City BURLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66839
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KEN D. EPPERLY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 213 N. 3RD ST.
Operator City BURLINGTON
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 66523
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 5C8
Departure City BURLINGTON
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 2580
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --