Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salina, Kansas 67401
Friday, October 11, 1985 9:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTING THE AIRPORT UNDER VERY POOR IFR WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PLT RPT AUTOPILOT PROBLEMS OF AN UNSPECIFIED NATURE. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY REPORTS OF INSTRUMENT TROUBLES.RADAR CONTROLLERS GAVE THE PLT A NO-GYRO TURN TO THE LEFT. AFTER THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED THE ACFT DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTION OF CONTROLS. THE SEPARATED WING DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY PRE-EXISTANT CRACKS AND WAS FOUND LYING INVERTED IN THE FIELD 50 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVERHEAD AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE AND THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE RUNNING AT FULL POWER. THEY ALSO HEARD THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND JUST A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ACFT FLEW OVERHEAD. NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY WAS FOUND TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL. VACUUM SYSTEM EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRIOR FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SALINA
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67401
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID SLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1272
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Light
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1579
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28956
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9758K
NTSB Number MKC86FA008
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7890177
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Aug 29 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2991
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE F. SHROYER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 381 BOZEMAN TRAIL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BOZEMAN
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59715
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUN BIRD AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOZEMAN AIRPORT
Operator City BELGRADE
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59714
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 SLN
Departure City SALINA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 857
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LBF
Destination City NORTHPLATTE
Destination State NE
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --