Cessna 172 accident near Wamego, Kansas, November 20, 1982
On November 20, 1982 at about 3:01 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N3599E, was destroyed in an accident near Wamego, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- November 20, 1982 · about 3:01 pm local time
- Place
- Wamego, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N3599E · no longer on the register · serial 1727162
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING LOW ALONG THE KANSAS RIVER FOR ABOUT 2 MI JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS FLYING BELOW THE TOPS OF TREES BORDERING THE RIVER. THE TWO LOWER STRANDS OF A POWER LINE, WHICH CROSSES THE RIVER, WERE FOUND BROKEN. THE WIRES WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 40 TO 50 FT ABOVE THE WATER. THE LINES DID NOT HAVE HIGH VISIBILITY MARKERS ATTACHED NOR WERE THEY DISPLAYED ON THE CURRENT SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,645 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Capitol Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C Manhattan KS at 8:51 am
- Destination: C Topeka KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.