Cessna 172 accident near Wichita, Kansas, March 23, 1991
On March 23, 1991 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N96868, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Jabara airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE DUAL STUDENT AND REMEDIAL ACTION WAS DELAYED BY THE CFI. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A GUSTY CROSSWIND AND A DRAINAGE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1991 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N96868 · no longer on the register · serial 17276125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI SAID THAT WHILE CONDUCTING A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST DURING A TAKEOFF IN A STRONG, GUSTING CROSSWIND. THE CFI TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND TRIED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF, THEN ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND COLLIDED WITH A DRAINAGE DITCH.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 444 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 408 as pilot in command; 23 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cessna Employees Flying Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 24 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ICT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N96868 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.