Dighton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dighton, Kansas 67839
Tuesady, June 14, 1988 18:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION, THE PLT SAID THAT AS HE INITIATED LIFTOFF, THE ACFT TURNED TO THE LEFT AND HE FELT HE HAD NO RUDDER CONTROL. HE HIT A FENCE ON THE APT BOUNDARY, CONTINUED, DUMPED HIS CHEMICAL LOAD, HIT A TREE, AND LANDED IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO A HIGHWAY. A KANSAS STATE HIGHWAY PATROLMAN STATED HE DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF ALCOHOL ON THE PLT. THE PLT WENT TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF MINOR INJURIES BUT LEFT PRIOR TO RECEIVING TREATMENT. HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES ALSO MADE MENTION OF THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL ON THE PLT. THE PLT LEFT THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTING THE HOSPITAL AND COULD NOT BE REACHED FOR TOXICOLOGY TESTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1810
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DIGHTON
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67839
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DIGHTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID K65
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 160
Airport Elevation 2750
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID GCK
Elevation of weather observation facility 2888
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1015
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 14 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37023
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N731CD
NTSB Number MKC88LA110
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 188B
Aircraft Series Identifier 188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18802784T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1339
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLARENCE WENDLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 244 N. 4TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City DIGHTON
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67839
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WENDLER AIR AG
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code K65
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1805
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code K65
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 18
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --