North American NA-265-65 accident near New Century, Kansas, October 15, 2007
On October 15, 2007 at about 4:50 am local time, a North American NA-265-65, registered N65BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Century, Kansas (New Century Aircenter airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Contributing factors in this accident were the sudden wind shift, from calm to a gusty crosswind, the runway light, and the concrete pad.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2007 · about 4:50 am local time
- Place
- New Century, Kansas · New Century Aircenter · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NA-265-65 · all NA-265-65s on the register
- Registration
- N65BT · registry record · serial 03
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had just completed a corporate/executive flight and was being repositioned to its base. The captain, who was flying the airplane, said he saw the runway lights through light rain when they were 10 miles away from the airport. He intercepted and flew the visual approach slope indicator and landed on runway 18. The rain increased in intensity, and the airplane touched down approximately the 1,000-foot mark. The wind was from the southeast and gusting. As the captain selected reverse thrust, the wind shifted from the west. Directional control was lost and the airplane hydroplaned off the left side of the runway, striking a concrete pad and runway light. The nose landing gear was sheared off and the pressure vessel was compromised.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,900 hours in all; 110 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 18,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett-Airesearch TFE-731-3R-1D (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City KS at 4:20 am
- Destination: IXD New Century KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,339 ft by 190 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from IXD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.