Piper PA-24 accident near Salina, Kansas, October 11, 1985
On October 11, 1985 at about 2:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N9758K, was destroyed in an accident near Salina, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 11, 1985 · about 2:05 pm local time
- Place
- Salina, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N9758K · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890177
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING THE AIRPORT UNDER VERY POOR IFR WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PLT RPT AUTOPILOT PROBLEMS OF AN UNSPECIFIED NATURE. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY REPORTS OF INSTRUMENT TROUBLES.RADAR CONTROLLERS GAVE THE PLT A NO-GYRO TURN TO THE LEFT. AFTER THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED THE ACFT DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTION OF CONTROLS. THE SEPARATED WING DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY PRE-EXISTANT CRACKS AND WAS FOUND LYING INVERTED IN THE FIELD 50 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVERHEAD AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE AND THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE RUNNING AT FULL POWER. THEY ALSO HEARD THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND JUST A VERY SHORT TIME AFTER THE ACFT FLEW OVERHEAD. NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY WAS FOUND TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL. VACUUM SYSTEM EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRIOR FAILURE.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,020 hours in all; 1,005 in this make and model; 916 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,991 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Bird Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SLN Salina KS at 1:57 pm
- Destination: LBF Northplatte NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from SLN, 3 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.