Piper PA-28-140 accident near Elkhart, Kansas, August 31, 1986
On August 31, 1986 at about 1:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4233J, was destroyed in an accident near Elkhart, Kansas (Elkhart airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- August 31, 1986 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Elkhart, Kansas · Elkhart · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4233J · registry record · serial 28-22584
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT INTENDED TO FLY FROM HIS HOME ARPT TO A NEARBY ARPT WHERE HE WAS RECEIVING FLT INSTRUCTION. NO RECORD OF A WX BRIEFING WAS FOUND. LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAID THERE WERE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO ONE SAW THE ACFT TAKEOFF BUT THE PLT WAS SEEN IN LOCAL RESTAURANT A SHORT TIME BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE ABOUT 100 FT FROM TWO RESIDENCES. AN OCCUPANT OF ONE OF THE RESIDENCES SAW THE ACFT CRASH AND SAID IT WAS DESCENDING NEARLY VERTICAL JUST BEFORE IMPACT. HE ALSO SAID THE ENG NOISE INCREASED JUST BEFORE IMPACT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: Liberal KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4233J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.