Cessna A185E accident near Liberal, Kansas, October 24, 1995
On October 24, 1995 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N1613M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberal, Kansas (Liberal Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control and an inadvertent ground swerve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1995 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Liberal, Kansas · Liberal Municipal Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N1613M · registry record · serial 18501833
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND, WHICH TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND POWER TO CORRECT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR FAILED, AND THE AIRPLANE EXITED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, COMING TO REST ON ITS NOSE AND RIGHT WING. REPORTED WINDS AT THE AIRPORT WERE 190 DEGREES AT 23 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 28 KNOTS. THERE WAS A RUBBER SKID MARK FOLLOWED BY METAL SKID MARKS ON THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT TIRE HAD SCRATCHES ON THE OUTSIDE WALL, AND THE AXLE HAD SHEARED OFF AT THE FOUR BOLTS THAT ATTACHED IT TO THE LANDING GEAR. THE LEFT BOTTOM WING TIP WAS ALSO SCRATCHED.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,377 hours in all; 588 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 1,280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,622 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1995; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1D3 Platte SD at 5:30 pm
- Destination: LBL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 7,101 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 23 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Observation at 8:35 pm from LBL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N1613M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI96LA024.