Piper PA-30 accident near Manhattan, Kansas, June 23, 1985
On June 23, 1985 at about 6:26 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7012Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manhattan, Kansas (Manhattan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 23, 1985 · about 6:26 pm local time
- Place
- Manhattan, Kansas · Manhattan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7012Y · registry record · serial 30-13
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID HE PUT THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH TO THE DOWN POSITION AND THOUGHT THAT HE OBSERVED A GREEN, DOWN ANDLOCKED INDICATOR LIGHT; HOWEVER, THE ACFT LANDED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR SWITCH WAS DOWN AND THE GEAR MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS TRIPPED. THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WAS ALSO FUNCTIONALLY TESTED. DURING THE FIRST RETRACTION THE GEAR MOTOR CB TRIPPED. AFTER THE CB WAS RESET THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONED PROPERLY THROUGH SEVERAL CYCLES. THE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS AND HORN ALSO WORKED PROPERLY.
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: student
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,076 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 15, 1984; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vandenberg Afb Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: ACT Waco TX at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from MHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.