Piper PA-28-180 accident near Wichita, Kansas, January 25, 1993
On January 25, 1993 at about 10:54 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N444TD, was destroyed in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Col. James Jabara airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 1993 · about 10:54 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Col. James Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N444TD · no longer on the register · serial 28-4549
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE PERFORMED A GO AROUND MANEUVER JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING THE GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED WHAT WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS, ABRUPT, STEEP TURNS TO THE CROSSWIND AND DOWNWIND LEGS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 TO 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND ON THE DOWNWIND LEG WHEN IT 'WOBBLED' DURING AN ABRUPT LEFT TURN TO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN'S BASE LEG. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OVER AND PERFORMED A ONE TURN SPIN BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND.
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
- Flight time: 1,089 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 615 as pilot in command; 472 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1993; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Midwest Executive Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: OJC Olathe KS at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from 3KM, 1 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.
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.