Cessna 152 accident near Topeka, Kansas, October 15, 1982
On October 15, 1982 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Topeka, Kansas (Philip Billard Muni 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).
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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
- October 15, 1982 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Topeka, Kansas · Philip Billard Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757JT · registry record · serial 15279783
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON A FLIGHT FROM POPLAR BLUFF, MO TO TOPEKA, KS, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED HEADWINDS. ABOUT 4 TO 5 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD BETWEEN 2 NORTH-SOUTH POWER LINES. ONLY ABOUT 1 PINT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKS. BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT INSURED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL (24.5 USABLE GALLONS). ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT'S INFORMATION MANUAL, THE PLANE WOULD HAVE USED 22.37 GALLONS OF FUEL DURING A FLIGHT AT 3000 FT MSL USING 75% POWER.
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
- Flight time: 344 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 272 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,193 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1,193 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: POF Poplar Bluff MO at 8:40 am
- Destination: 17S Newberg OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 am from TOP, 3 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 MKC83LA008.