Boeing A75N1(PT17) and Fairchild M62A accident near Valley Center, Kansas, October 22, 2016
On October 22, 2016 at about 5:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing A75N1(PT17) (N68117) and Fairchild M62A (N73529), were involved in the same accident near Valley Center, Kansas (High Point airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The other pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and to see and avoid the airplane stopped on the edge of the runway.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and to see and avoid the airplane stopped on the edge of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2016 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Valley Center, Kansas · High Point · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing A75N1(PT17) UNDESIGNAT, built 1942 · all A75N1(PT17)s on the register
- Registration
- N68117 · registry record · serial 75-7280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Fairchild M62A 3, built 1943 · all M62As on the register
- Registration
- N73529 · registry record · serial T43-4456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing A75N1(PT17) final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped Fairchild airplane reported that after landing on the 2,400-foot long by 100-foot wide private grass runway, he pulled off to the right of the runway about 2/3 of the way down with his engine at idle power to watch a Stearman airplane, which he had been flying in tandem with, land. The Fairchild pilot further reported that the Stearman appeared to be approaching a little fast, touched down about 1/2 way down the runway, and started drifting to the right, toward the stopped Fairchild. The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped Stearman biplane reported that during the landing roll he was looking out of the left side of the Stearman, misjudged the width of the grass runway, and "clipped [the Fairchild] on [the] edge of runway". The Stearman then impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the lower left wing and both right wings. The Fairchild sustained substantial damage to the engine cowl and firewall. The Fairchild pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Stearman pilot reported that it was possible that the tailwheel bracket was broken prior to the airplane colliding with the Fairchild and impacting trees. In a postaccident interview with the investigator-in-charge (IIC), the Stearman pilot reported that during the initial preflight and taxi of the airplane, the tailwheel bracket "looked good" and he had no issues steering during taxi and takeoff.
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 Fairchild M62A final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped Fairchild airplane reported that after landing on the 2,400-foot long by 100-foot wide private grass runway, he pulled off to the right of the runway about 2/3 of the way down with his engine at idle power to watch a Stearman airplane, which he had been flying in tandem with, land. The Fairchild pilot further reported that the Stearman appeared to be approaching a little fast, touched down about 1/2 way down the runway, and started drifting to the right, toward the stopped Fairchild. The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped Stearman biplane reported that during the landing roll he was looking out of the left side of the Stearman, misjudged the width of the grass runway, and "clipped [the Fairchild] on [the] edge of runway". The Stearman then impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage to the lower left wing and both right wings. The Fairchild sustained substantial damage to the engine cowl and firewall. The Fairchild pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Stearman pilot reported that it was possible that the tailwheel bracket was broken prior to the airplane colliding with the Fairchild and impacting trees. In a postaccident interview with the investigator-in-charge (IIC), the Stearman pilot reported that during the initial preflight and taxi of the airplane, the tailwheel bracket "looked good" and he had no issues steering during taxi and takeoff.
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 Boeing A75N1(PT17) from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Visibility › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 11, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,853 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 2016
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 3,225 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71K Wichita KS at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 3KS5 Valley Center KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KAAO, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Fairchild M62A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,585 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,470 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 13, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,472.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-440C-5 (piston); 1,504 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 71K Wichita KS at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 3KS5 Valley Center KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N68117 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
2011-03-25CEN11CA256 · accident near Wichita, KS · substantial damage · no injuries
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 GAA17CA053.