Piper PA-25-235 accident near Grenola, Kansas, April 29, 1983
On April 29, 1983 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N8624L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grenola, Kansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- April 29, 1983 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grenola, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8624L · no longer on the register · serial 25-5055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE SPRAYING LIQUID FERTILIZER, THE PLT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL INDICATION WAS DROPPING RAPIDLY. HE STATED THAT HE TRIED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE POINT, BUT WAS UNABLE. WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER, HE JETTISONED THE REMAINDER OF HIS LOAD & LANDED IN A PASTURE. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A BARBED WIRE FENCE. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A FUEL LEAK OCCURRED WHERE A FUEL LINE RUBBED AGAINST AN OIL COOLER LINE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,770 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 19, 1983; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2KC Moline KS at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N8624L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.