Cassutt III M SPORT accident near Hiawatha, Kansas, March 31, 1983
On March 31, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cassutt III M SPORT, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N1790, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hiawatha, Kansas (Hiawatha airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- March 31, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hiawatha, Kansas · Hiawatha · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cassutt III M SPORT III M SPOR, amateur-built
- Registration
- N1790 · no longer on the register · serial 1002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE AT 5500 FT MSL, THE PLT NOTICED AN OIL FILM START TO COVER THE WINDSHIELD OF THE HOME BUILT ACFT. AT THAT TIME, HE WAS APPROACHING HIAWATH, KS, SO HE DIVERTED TO THE HIAWATHA ARPT. BY THE TIME HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND, THE OIL RESTRICTED HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PLT S-TURNED TO KEEP HIMSELF ORIENTED WITH THE RWY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY & THE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT PLUG, LYCOMING PN STD-1211, WAS LOOSE & DISTORTED, THUS ALLOWING OIL TO EXIT THE ENG AT THE PROPELLER. THE PLT STATED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD PREVIOUSLLY DEVELOPED. HE SAID A MECHANIC USED A HAMMER TO RESEAT THE PLUG. AN EXAM OF THE PLUG REVEALED AN OFF-CENTERED INDENTATION ON THE PLUG'S FACE & DRIED SILICONE ADHESIVE AROUND ITS OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE.
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: 409 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 312 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 516 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MHK Manhattan KS at 5:30 pm
- Destination: MSN Madison WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,780 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from STJ, 28 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.