Piper PA-18A accident near Garden City, Kansas, October 2, 2002
On October 2, 2002 at about 11:58 am local time, a Piper PA-18A, registered N3279Z, was destroyed in an accident near Garden City, Kansas (Garden City Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate preflight planning/preparation and visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions by the pilot. The clouds, mist, and night conditions were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2002 · about 11:58 am local time
- Place
- Garden City, Kansas · Garden City Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A · all PA-18As on the register
- Registration
- N3279Z · registry record · serial 18-7199
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, piloted by a non-instrument rated private pilot, was found destroyed about 2.5 nautical miles southwest of the departure airport. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Flight control continuity was confirmed and torsional signatures on the propeller blades were noted.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Last flight review: April 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,864.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2003; 225.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GCK Garden City KS at 11:41 am
- Destination: PVT Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 7,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 020° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from GCK, 2 miles away
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.