Billard Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Topeka, Kansas 66601
Saturday, August 12, 1989 11:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH ON HIS APPROACH AND EXECUTED A SLIP MANEUVER ON THE BASE TO FINAL LEGS. THEN HE SAID THAT HE FELT HE WAS TOO LOW AND APPLIED ADDITIONAL THROTTLE. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO THE THROTTLE APPLICATION WHICH RESULTED IN A LANDING IN A CORN FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND ENGINE RUN-UP REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE AND COMPONENTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE TO SUPPLY POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TOPEKA
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66601
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BILLARD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TOP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 880
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1015 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID TOP
Elevation of weather observation facility 880
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1251
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39499
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24TW
NTSB Number MKC89LA177
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 31611
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 May 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 9309
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REYNOLDS, EARL D
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14505 S ASHTON DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City OLATHE
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66062
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name REYNOLDS, EARL D.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 14505 S. ASHTON DRIVE
Operator City OLATHE
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 66062
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 OJC
Departure City OLATHE
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1040
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TOP
Destination City TOPEKA
Destination State KS
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 5099
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --