Weatherly 201C accident near Ionia, Kansas, May 14, 2000
On May 14, 2000 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Weatherly 201C, registered N9198W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ionia, Kansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the partial engine failure for undetermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the pilot. A factor to the accident was the hilly terrain condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2000 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ionia, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly 201C · all 201Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9198W · registry record · serial 1033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the pilot was conducting aerial application operations the engine lost partial power and the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing after failed attempts to regain sustained engine power. The pilot landed in rough terrain and the aircraft was substantially damaged during the landing. The pilot reported that the flight was initiated 45-minutes prior to the loss of engine power. The pilot stated that the flight began with 39-gallons of fuel in the left tank and 23-gallons of fuel in the right tank. The pilot stated that he had been operating on the left tank since departure. The pilot reported that the expected fuel burn was 27-gallons per hour. Examination of the fuel system, including the fuel selector, revealed no anomalies.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,325 hours in all; 1,301 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,012 as pilot in command; 693 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2000; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Burr Oak KS at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 93°F (34°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from CNK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.