Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Ft. Riley, Kansas, October 31, 1992
On October 31, 1992 at about 5:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N3563Z, was destroyed in an accident near Ft. Riley, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NON-CURRENT STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM TERRAIN WHILE OPERATING AT NIGHT, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1992 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Ft. Riley, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3563Z · no longer on the register · serial 28R-8031035
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HELD AN EXPIRED STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE. HE TOOK OFF AT NIGHT WITH LOCAL WEATHER REPORTS OF 200 FOOT CEILINGS, 3/4 MILES VISIBILITY IN FOG. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED HILLY TERRAIN 11 MILES NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT ON ARMY BASE PROPERTY. A POSTIMPACT FIRE ENSUED. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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
- Flight time: 50 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,848 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1991; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Walker Stone CO., INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3JC Junction City KS at 4:50 am
- Destination: Unk/Nr
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 am from KFRI, 8 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.
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.