Cessna T210N and Piper PA-25-235 accident near Smith Center, Kansas, May 28, 2005
On May 28, 2005 at about 4:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna T210N (N6366Y) and Piper PA-25-235 (N9886P), were involved in the same accident near Smith Center, Kansas (Smith Center Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the Piper airplane pilot to obtain visual separation from the Cessna airplane rolling out after landing on the intersecting runway resulting in a collision between the two aircraft. Contributing factors were the evasive maneuver attempted by the pilot of the Cessna and the runway light struck during that maneuver.
Failure of the Piper airplane pilot to obtain visual separation from the Cessna airplane rolling out after landing on the intersecting runway resulting in a collision between the two aircraft. A contributing factor was the evasive maneuver attempted be the pilot of the Cessna.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2005 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Smith Center, Kansas · Smith Center Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6366Y · no longer on the register · serial 21064354
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9886P · no longer on the register · serial 25-7556212
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna T210N final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna T210N airplane sustained substantial damage and a Piper PA-25 airplane was undamaged during an on-ground collision which occurred while both aircraft were landing on intersecting runways. The Cessna pilot reported that he made several position reports on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for the uncontrolled airport as the flight approached to land. He stated that he entered the traffic pattern and landed on runway 35. He reported that as the aircraft was rolling out after landing he observed the Piper aircraft landing on runway 14 to his immediate left. He noted that the Piper aircraft passed in front of his Cessna. He stated that he applied brakes and "swerved hard to the left," but was unable to avoid a collision. The Cessna pilot reported that his aircraft departed the left side of the pavement "slightly" where it struck a runway light before he regained control. The Piper pilot reported that he was landing on runway 14 while the Cessna aircraft was landing on runway 35. He stated that neither pilot saw the other aircraft involved, which resulted in a "minor" collision. The Piper aircraft was not equipped with a communications radio. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations require pilots to "see and avoid" other aircraft when possible. Right-of-way rules (14 CFR 91.119) stated that when weather conditions permit "vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft." In addition, aircraft on final approach to land or in the process of landing "have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already landed." The runway intersection was located approximately 1,700 feet from the approach end of runway 35 and approximately 550 feet from the approach end of runway 14.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-25-235 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna T210N airplane sustained substantial damage and a Piper PA-25 airplane was undamaged during an on-ground collision which occurred while both aircraft were landing on intersecting runways. The Cessna pilot reported that he made several position reports on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for the uncontrolled airport as the flight approached to land. He stated that he entered the traffic pattern and landed on runway 35. He reported that as the aircraft was rolling out after landing he observed the Piper aircraft landing on runway 14 to his immediate left. He noted that the Piper aircraft passed in front of his Cessna. He stated that he applied brakes and "swerved hard to the left," but was unable to avoid a collision. The Cessna pilot reported that his aircraft departed the left side of the pavement "slightly" where it struck a runway light before he regained control. The Piper pilot reported that he was landing on runway 14 while the Cessna aircraft was landing on runway 35. He stated that neither pilot saw the other aircraft involved, which resulted in a "minor" collision. The Piper aircraft was not equipped with a communications radio. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations require pilots to "see and avoid" other aircraft when possible. Right-of-way rules (14 CFR 91.119) stated that when weather conditions permit "vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft." In addition, aircraft on final approach to land or in the process of landing "have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already landed." The runway intersection was located approximately 1,700 feet from the approach end of runway 35 and approximately 550 feet from the approach end of runway 14.
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 for the Cessna T210N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,706 hours in all; 706 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,706 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,990 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2004; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 63M Hermann MO
- Destination: K82 Smith Center KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 3,601 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from HDE, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-25-235 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,514 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O540-G1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K82 Smith Center KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,453 ft by 75 ft
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.