Cessna 172M accident near Liberal, Kansas, January 17, 2000
On January 17, 2000 at about 6:15 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12654, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberal, Kansas (Liberal Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining proper glidepath on the ILS approach, the pilot's improper decision to continue the approach below the glidepath, and the pilot's failure to perform a missed approach. Factors relating to the accident were the low ceiling and visibility, and the fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2000 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Liberal, Kansas · Liberal Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12654 · no longer on the register · serial 172-62149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he received vectors from the Kansas City Center to the ILS approach for runway 35 at the Liberal Municipal Airport. Kansas City Center instructed the pilot to descend to 4,000 feet msl, and advise when established on the approach. The pilot advised center that he was on the approach. He said that Kansas City Center issued an altimeter of 30.21 inches Hg, which he set in the altimeter. The pilot said he saw the altimeter indication of 3,400 feet msl. 'The glide slope was indicating centered. The localizer was indication about 1 dot off. I began to correct to the right, and remember the altimeter indication [of] 3,300 feet msl, which was above decision height. The airplane struck the ground and turned hard to the right (about 90 degrees).' Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. At 0035 cst, weather at Liberal, Kansas, was reported as overcast ceiling of 100 feet agl, 1/4 mile visibility, temperature 34 degrees F, winds 140 degrees at 5 knots, and altimeter 30.19 inches Hg. The pilot stated that the weather conditions on the ground was heavy ground fog. The ILS approach to runway 35 at the Liberal Municipal Airport has a published decision height of 3,074 feet msl. Published minimum weather minimums for the approach is a 200 foot ceiling and 1/2 mile visibility.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 858 hours in all; 283 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 694 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Denver CO at 3:40 am
- Destination: LBL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 7,101 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from LBL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.