Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lincoln, Kansas, March 29, 1996
On March 29, 1996 at about 5:35 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8214W, was destroyed in an accident near Lincoln, Kansas. It was a personal 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
the pilot became spatially disoriented and failed to maintain control of the airplane. The factors involved were the pilot encountered VFR flight into IMC, pressure induced by conditions/events, low ceilings, and the dark light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1996 · about 5:35 am local time
- Place
- Lincoln, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8214W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2347
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received two weather briefs prior to his departure, all briefs were forecasting VFR conditions along the route of flight. The pilot departed late out of Topeka en route to Salina, KS to pick up a passenger. The pilot did not update his weather brief prior to taking off from Salina en route to Denver. At the time of the accident the weather station west of the accident site reported a measured ceiling of 1,100 overcast. At 2359 cst, Salina Airport's reported an 1,800 foot overcast cloud layer.
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: 229 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1995; 302 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLN Salina KS at 4:55 am
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; ovct at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from RSL, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.