Cessna R172K accident near Herington, Kansas, February 9, 1991
On February 9, 1991 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N758ML, was substantially damaged in an accident near Herington, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FAILURE OF A CONNECTING ROD BOLT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT, UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1991 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Herington, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N758ML · registry record · serial R1723204
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE FAILED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON A SOFT, FARM PASTURE. DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILED ROD CAP BOLT ON THE #5 CONNECTING ROD.
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: 155 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lyons Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: LYO Lyons KS at 5:00 pm
- Destination: LWC Lawrence KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI91LA094.