Piper PA-24-250 accident near Chanute, Kansas, September 22, 2003
On September 22, 2003 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N122CC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chanute, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot 's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in both his in-flight encounter with weather, and the loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. Factors associated with the accident were the night conditions, fog, and the pilot becoming lost and disoriented.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2003 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Chanute, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N122CC · no longer on the register · serial 1222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with the terrain during a night forced landing following a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot received several weather briefings prior to the cross country flight. Upon reaching his destination the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) was reporting a 200 foot ceiling with mist. The pilot made several low passes over the airport and he was unable to see the runway. He flew to another near-by airport, but according to the pilot, the weather was worse there. He turned back toward his original destination and declared an emergency stating he was low on fuel. The pilot stated while en route he was able to see the rotating beacon at another airport, so he decided to fly there. The pilot became confused and actually headed east instead of south. The engine then lost power and the airplane impacted the terrain during the forced landing. The pilot reported he knew the airplane was burning more fuel than normal during the flight, but he was not concerned until he reached his destination and determined he was not going to be able to land because of the weather. The weather at the original destination 41 minutes prior to the accident was 7 miles visibility and 200 overcast. The temperature and dew point were both 16 degrees Celsius. The weather reported 19 minutes after the accident was 4 miles visibility with mist, 200 foot overcast, temperature and dew point were both 16 degrees Celsius. The pilot received four weather briefings prior to departure. During the third preflight briefing the pilot was informed that the ceiling at an airport 40 miles south-southwest of his destination was 600 overcast and another airport 23 miles south was 500 overcast. He was informed that the weather was forecast to improve within the hour, but the briefer stated that the fog had not been forecasted and with all the moisture that was in the area, he was not sure how quickly the conditions would improve. During the fourth briefing the pilot was informed that the current conditions at his destination were calm winds, visibility of 10 miles, 1,000 foot broken ceiling, temperature and dew point were both 17 degrees Celsius. The forecast called for winds variable at 3 knots, visibility greater then 6 miles, and scattered clouds at 10,000 feet. The briefer continued to state that he suspected the broken ceilings were going to stay in the area and the visibilities were forecast to drop during the early morning hours. A review of the pilot's written statement failed to reveal that he had contacted any facilities while en route to obtain updated weather information.
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
- Flight time: 286 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 231 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 29, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2003; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSF San Antonio TX at 2:09 am
- Destination: CNU Chanute KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 am from CNU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.