Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grenola, Kansas 67346
Sunday, April 28, 1985 9:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A SWATH TO A FIELD, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PLT WAS OPERATING HIS ACFT FOR APRX 1/2 HR PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF PWR. THE PLT STATES HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE PLT STATED HE COULD NO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT AND NOSED THE ACFT OVER TO AVOID STALLING. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/28/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRENOLA
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67346
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1349 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID ICT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 634
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28230
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8624L
NTSB Number MKC85LA091
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235C
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235C
Aircraft Serial Number 5055
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Apr 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 2520
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK G. LIEBAU
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R.1
Aircraft Owner City GRENOLA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67346
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 1
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 No
Departure Airport Code 2K6
Departure City MOLINE
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 855
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City GRENOLA
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --