Piper PA-38-112 accident near Inman, Kansas, March 5, 1994
On March 5, 1994 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2495L, was destroyed in an accident near Inman, Kansas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNINTENTIONAL SPIN WHICH OCCURRED DURING THE MANEUVERING PHASE OF A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE AIRPLANE'S LATERAL-DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AT OR NEAR THE STALL SPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1994 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Inman, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2495L · registry record · serial 38-79A0734
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PROVIDE A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW FOR A PRIVATE PILOT WITH ABOUT 100 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE SPIN 5 OR 6 TURNS TO THE LEFT & REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE STOPPED ROTATING JUST BEFORE IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE SPIN IS BELIEVED TO HAVE OCCURRED INADVERTENTLY WHILE THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING A STALL OR SLOW FLIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE PA-38 HAS FOUR NON-ADJUSTABLE STALL STRIPS, INTENDED TO IMPROVE ITS LATERAL-DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS, ITS STALL/SPIN ACCIDENT RATE IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN COMPARABLE TRAINER-TYPE AIRPLANES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,945 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 1,804 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 23, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HUT Hutchinson KS at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from HUT, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.