Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gardner, Kansas 66030
Wednesday, December 26, 1990 19:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT NIGHT ON AN IFR FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. ALSO, HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT HAD FULL FUEL TANKS AND THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAD DID NOT HELP. HE WAS VECTORED TOWARD THE NEAREST AIRPORT BY ATC. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A TREE AND CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT FOUR MILES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GARDNER
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66030
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1902 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID OJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1080
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2101
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43547
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84499
NTSB Number CHI91FA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 82-16034
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 14 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 4158
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KANSAS CITY AVIATION CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 1850
Operator City OLATHE
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 66061
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) Business
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 1730
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OJC
Destination City OLATHE
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --