Piper PA-28-161 accident near Gardner, Kansas, December 27, 1990
On December 27, 1990 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N84499, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gardner, Kansas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1990 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Gardner, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N84499 · registry record · serial 82-16034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT NIGHT ON AN IFR FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. ALSO, HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT HAD FULL FUEL TANKS AND THE APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAD DID NOT HELP. HE WAS VECTORED TOWARD THE NEAREST AIRPORT BY ATC. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A TREE AND CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT FOUR MILES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,147 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,158 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 1990; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kansas City Aviation Center
The flight
- Departed from: SLN Salina KS at 11:30 pm
- Destination: OJC Olathe KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:02 am from OJC, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N84499 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.