Amateur-built II accident near Kansas City, Kansas, May 5, 1984
On May 5, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built II, registered N1355K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kansas City, Kansas (Fairfax 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).
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
- May 5, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Kansas · Fairfax Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built II
- Registration
- N1355K · no longer on the register · serial 344
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THE HOME BUILT ACFT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS. WHILE CLIMBING OUT AFTER THE 5TH LANDING, THE PLT'S CANOPY UNLATCHED & OPENED. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE CANOPY & NOSED THE ACFT DOWN TO MAINTAIN A SAFE AIRSPEED. WHILE TRYING TO CLOSE THE CANOPY, THE ACFT DESCENDED & STRUCK THE RWY HARD & BOUNCED BACK IN THE AIR. THE PLT HELD THE CANOPY PARTLY CLOSED AND CIRCLE TO LAND ON RWY 4. JUST BEFORE LANDING, HE LET GO OF THE CANOPY & REDUCED THE POWER. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE SUPPORT TUBING FOR THE LANDING GEAR & THE TAILWHEEL SUPPORT TUBE WERE BENT. ALSO, APRX 4 INCHES HAD SHEARED FROM THE TIPS OF BOTH PROP BLADES.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 367 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 38 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCK Kansas City KS at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,301 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from MCI, 10 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.