Cessna 172N accident near 5M E. Greensbur, Kansas, January 29, 1982
On January 29, 1982 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1589E, was destroyed in an accident near 5M E. Greensbur, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1982 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- 5M E. Greensbur, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1589E · no longer on the register · serial 17271055
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FOR A FLT TO DODGE CITY,KS. THE FSS SPECIALIST ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS PROPOSING HIS FLIGHT UNDER IFR SINCE HIS DESTINATION WAS REPORTING IMC. THE PLT REPLIED THAT HE WAS. A GROUND WITNESS AT HAVILAND,KS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE OBSERVED AN AIRPLANE FLYING WESTWARD PARALLELING U.S. HWY 54 & A SINGLE-RAILROAD TRACK. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT AN ALTITUDE BELOW THE TOP OF A 319FT WATERTOWER. THE PLT'S WIFE STATED HE WAS CAPABLE OF FLYING THE ACFT UNDER INSTRUMENT WX CONDITIONS & HAD DEMONSTRATED HIS ABILITY TO DO SO ON TWO OCCASIONS BY CLIMBING & DESCENDING THROUGH CLOUDS.
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: 76 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,292 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 182 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wichita KS at 6:58 am
- Destination: Greensburg KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 115°F (46°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 am from DDC, 40 miles away
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.