Varga 2150A accident near Moline, Kansas, April 10, 1983
On April 10, 1983 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Varga 2150A, registered N8281J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moline, Kansas (Elk County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- April 10, 1983 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Moline, Kansas · Elk County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Varga 2150A
- Registration
- N8281J · registry record · serial VAC-127-79
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES ON FINAL APPROACH BUT A LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE 2 PRIOR LANDINGS ON THE SAME RUNWAY AND DID NOT SEE THE WIRES. DURING THIS APPROACH HE SAW THE WIRES AND TRIED TO FLY UNDER THEM. THE CANOPY VERTICAL FIN AND RUDDER WERE DAMAGED. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER AND MADE A HARD LANDING WHICH DAMAGED THE LEFT LANDING GEAR STRUT. THE AOPA AIRPORT PUBLICATION LISTS THE POWERPLINE AS AN OBSTRUCTION AT THIS AIRPORT. THE WIRES WERE NOT MARKED.
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: 530 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 474 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,640 ft by 54 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.