Fairchild M-62C accident near Garden City, Kansas, May 2, 1996
On May 2, 1996 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Fairchild M-62C, registered N67481, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garden City, Kansas (Wolcott, Private airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the left main landing gear strut due to corrosoion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1996 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Garden City, Kansas · Wolcott, Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild M-62C · all M-62Cs on the register
- Registration
- N67481 · registry record · serial T43-4341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that 'Just prior to liftoff, the (airplane's) left main landing gear strut failed causing the left tire to be wedged against the upper strut. This caused severe tire braking and skidding on the runway. The airplane departed the runway to the left, went through a pasture fence and came to rest about 150 feet east of the runway.' Examination of the left main landing gear strut revealed internal corrosion at the location where the strut failed.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,256 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.