Piper PA-28-181 accident near Wellington, Kansas, August 1, 1994
On August 1, 1994 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3693M, was destroyed in an accident near Wellington, Kansas (Wellington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the emergency descent, resulting in a stall-spin. Factors were fuel exhaustion resulting from improper fuel calculations by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1994 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Kansas · Wellington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3693M · no longer on the register · serial 7890322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had been delivered to the owner after undergoing a major engine overhaul at Newburgh, NY. The private pilot was also the mechanic who had performed the overhaul and the ferry flight. The last refueling was performed between 4.2 and 4.5 flight hours prior to the accident during the ferry flight from Newburgh to Wellington. The airplane had departed the Wellington Airport, and was returning, when it was observed 'twisitng and falling straight donw.' The airplane impacted in a near vertical attitude. Post crash inspection revealed no indications of fuel or propeller rotation at impact. No mechanical anomalies were discovered with the airplane or engine.
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: 241 hours in all; 204 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 192 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,009 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1993; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EGT at 11:45 am
- Destination: EGT KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,538 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from ICT, 20 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.