Piper PA-28-140 and Bell UH-1V mid-air collision near Junction City, Kansas, May 22, 1985
On May 22, 1985 at about 6:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28-140 (N7053R) and Bell UH-1V (USA), were involved in a mid-air collision near Junction City, Kansas. 1 person was killed; 7 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1985 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Junction City, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 7 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7053R · registry record · serial 28-21751
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Bell UH-1V · all UH-1Vs on the register
- Registration
- USA · no longer on the register · serial 71-20105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · military rules
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-140 final · quoted from the NTSB record
ARMY UH-1V AND N7053R, A PIPER PA-28, COLLIDED IN MID AIR AT 700 FEET AGL. BOTH ACFT WERE IN LVL FLT. UH-1V WAS OPERATING ON A MEDICAL EVACUATION FLT WITH A CREW OF FOUR, ONE PATIENT AND TWO ATTENDANTS. THE UH-1V EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. THE PIPER CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL AFTER ITS RIGHT WING WAS CUT OFF BY THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR BLADES. THE ARMY PILOTS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE PIPER WAS FIRST SIGHTED IT WAS 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THEIR AIRCRAFT'S NOSE. THE HELICOPTER PILOT BEGAN A DIVING LEFT TURN BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE CO-PILOT STATED THAT THE PIPER EXECUTED AN EXTREMELY STEEP RIGHT TURN JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD THE FORWARD HALF OF THE ROTATING BEACONS COVERED. THE UH-1V WITH TAPE AND THE PIPER WITH BLACK PAINT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Bell UH-1V final · quoted from the NTSB record
ARMY UH-1V AND N7053R, A PIPER PA-28, COLLIDED IN MID AIR AT 700 FEET AGL. BOTH ACFT WERE IN LVL FLT. UH-1V WAS OPERATING ON A MEDICAL EVACUATION FLT WITH A CREW OF FOUR, ONE PATIENT AND TWO ATTENDANTS. THE UH-1V EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES. THE PIPER CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL AFTER ITS RIGHT WING WAS CUT OFF BY THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR BLADES. THE ARMY PILOTS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE PIPER WAS FIRST SIGHTED IT WAS 45 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THEIR AIRCRAFT'S NOSE. THE HELICOPTER PILOT BEGAN A DIVING LEFT TURN BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. THE CO-PILOT STATED THAT THE PIPER EXECUTED AN EXTREMELY STEEP RIGHT TURN JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD THE FORWARD HALF OF THE ROTATING BEACONS COVERED. THE UH-1V WITH TAPE AND THE PIPER WITH BLACK PAINT.
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 for the Piper PA-28-140 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 127 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,399 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1984; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7K1 Herington KS
- Destination: MHK Manhattan KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from FRI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Bell UH-1V from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,560 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,671 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L133A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRI Ft. Riley KS at 6:30 pm
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 FTW85FA230.