Piper PA-24-260 accident near Wakeeney, Kansas, October 18, 1995
On October 18, 1995 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8866P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wakeeney, Kansas (Trego Wakeeney airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO REACH THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1995 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wakeeney, Kansas · Trego Wakeeney · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8866P · registry record · serial 24-4323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN UNPLANNED EN ROUTE STOP AT TREGO WAKEENEY AIRPORT. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO AIRPORT ADVISORIES AND USED THE WINDS ALOFT TO SET UP HIS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 35. THE PILOT DID NOT SEE THE WIND SOCK UNTIL TURNING TO BASE LEG. THE WIND SOCK INDICATED THE OPPOSITE WIND DIRECTION, AND THE PILOT CONTINUED THE APPROACH FOR LANDING. AN EYEWITNESS NOTICED THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A 40 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK TURNING TO FINAL. THE EYEWITNESS ALSO STATED THE PILOT FAILED TO OVERFLY THE AIRPORT TO VERIFY RUNWAY AND WIND CONDITIONS. THE WIND DIRECTION WAS REPORTED OUT OF 150 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS WITH GUSTS OF 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT A NOTICEABLE CHANGE IN AIRSPEED AND LIFT OCCURRED WHILE TURNING FINAL FOR RUNWAY 35. HE SAID HE APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT COULD NOT CONTROL HIS RATE OF DESCENT BEFORE CONTACTING THE GROUND IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 500 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ABOUT 300 FEET, CROSSED A ROAD, AND HIT A THREE FOOT HIGH EMBANKMENT (DIRT BANK).
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,016 hours in all; 959 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,934 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,186 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1995; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 4:08 pm
- Destination: HUT Huthinson KS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 3,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from HLC, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.