Beech 1900D accident near Manhattan, Kansas, March 15, 2004
On March 15, 2004 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N155ZV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manhattan, Kansas (Manhattan Muni airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's improper decision due to his attempt to taxi back onto the runway after coming to a stop in the grass, and the resulting collapse of nose landing gear. Contributing factors were the inoperative nose wheel steering, the pilot's inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll due to the crosswind, and the high crosswind component. Additional factors were the uneven transition between the grass and the runway pavement, as well as the soft grass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2004 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Manhattan, Kansas · Manhattan Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N155ZV · no longer on the register · serial UE-155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was substantially damaged when the nose wheel collapsed as the pilot attempted to taxi back onto the runway after departing the pavement during landing rollout on runway 3. The nose wheel steering was inoperative and had been deferred in accordance with the operator's Minimum Equipment List (MEL). In that situation, the nose wheel was in the "free castor mode." The MEL states that directional control is to be maintained by using brakes and differential power. The pilot reported that the landing touch down was on the centerline, however, shortly afterward the aircraft encountered an "overwhelming" wind gust which caused it to weathervane to the left. He reported that he applied full right rudder and differential right braking which was effective in stopping the aircraft's drift. However, the aircraft encountered a second "much stronger and sustained" gust, which caused the aircraft to "veer strongly to the left." His subsequent efforts to maintain directional control through the use of differential braking and differential engine thrust were insufficient to keep the aircraft from departing the runway pavement. The aircraft came to rest in the soft grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot attempted to taxi back onto the runway, however, the nose wheel contacted the edge of the pavement and collapsed. Distinct ruts were observed in the soft turf adjacent to the left side of the runway. The nose wheel tire track approached the edge of the pavement at approximately a 20-degree angle and terminated at the edge of the runway. The track was approximately eight inches deep relative to the level of the runway pavement. The published maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the aircraft was 22 knots. The operator did not impose a crosswind component limitation on operations in general or on operations with the nose wheel steering inoperative under the MEL. Surface winds provided to the flight crew by the control tower were 310 degrees at 23 knots, gusting to 30 knots.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,778 hours in all; 2,109 in this make and model; 233 in the last 90 days; 113 in the last 30 days; 1,574 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 325 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 161 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,777.7 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 8, 2004; 44.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,120 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Midwest Airlines Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SLN Salina KS at 10:45 pm
- Destination: MHK Manhattan KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 11:34 pm from MHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.