Piper PA-22-150 accident near Derby, Kansas, October 5, 1983
On October 5, 1983 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N6951D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Derby, Kansas (Cook Airfield). 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
- October 5, 1983 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Derby, Kansas · Cook Airfield
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6951D · no longer on the register · serial 22-4880
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PACTICING LANDINGS & STOPPED AFTER EACH TOUCHDOWN. AFTER APRX THE 5TH LANDING, THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE & THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RWY. BEFORE STOPPING, THE NOSE GEAR WENT IN A DITCH & COLLAPSED, AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE DITCH BEFORE THE ENCOUNTER SINCE IT WAS COVERED WITH VEGETATION (GRASS). AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE BLEEDER PORT O-RING WAS IMPROPERLY SEATED ALLOWED HYDRAULIC FLUID TO LEAK WITH EACH APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. THE HYDRAULIC RESERVOIR WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY.
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: 200 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-AIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,490 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from ICT, 7 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.