Cessna 172N accident near Vermillion, Kansas, January 13, 1985
On January 13, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5649E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vermillion, Kansas (Bramhall (Pvt) airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- January 13, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vermillion, Kansas · Bramhall (Pvt) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5649E · no longer on the register · serial 17271911
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON TAKEOFF ROLL ACFT TRAVELED THROUGH SOFT SNOW RESULTING IN A LOSS OF FORWARD SPEED. PLT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE LIFT OFF BUT ACFT SETTLED INTO A PLOWED FIELD JUST PAST THE END OF THE RWY AND SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER.
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: 138 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 691 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 2, 1984; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DDC Dodge City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MKK, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.