Cessna 172N accident near Salina, Kansas, October 7, 1985
On October 7, 1985 at about 7:11 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1587E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salina, Kansas (Salina Municipal 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 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 7, 1985 · about 7:11 pm local time
- Place
- Salina, Kansas · Salina Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1587E · no longer on the register · serial 17271053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DID NOT TOP OFF THE FUEL TANKS BEFORE DEPARTING LINCOLN, NE FOR PRATT, KS. ENROUTE WINDS NECESSITATED A FUEL STOP AT SALINA, KS. THESE SAME WINDS FLIPPED OVER THE AIRPLANE AS IT WAS TURNING OFF THE RUNWAY TO TAXI IN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1985; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 13,300 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 29 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:11 pm from SLN, 1 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.