Piper PA-28-161 accident near Pittsburg, Kansas, August 29, 1996
On August 29, 1996 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N47558, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pittsburg, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot diverted his attention and failed to maintain sufficient altitude and clearance with the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the pilot performing low altitude flight at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1996 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Pittsburg, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N47558 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passengers reported they had taken off at night with the intent to fly over the city and look at city lights. After doing so, the pilot circled his parent's home three times. He thought he saw the porch light go on so, he decided to circle one more time. The pilot reported that during the turn, the airplane apparently was descending, because once he completed the turn and was heading east, the airplane flew into the low side of a terrace. The airplane then became airborne, and the pilot added power in an attempt to climb. However, the airplane 'quit flying' came to rest in an open field. One of the passengers reported the airplane was less than 150 feet above the ground, when they were circling the residence.
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: 92 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,581 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTS at 4:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from CNU, 45 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.
Other NTSB records under N47558 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.