Cessna 170A accident near Gardner, Kansas, February 23, 1986
On February 23, 1986 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1493D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gardner, Kansas (Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- February 23, 1986 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gardner, Kansas · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1493D · registry record · serial 20095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE IP AND STUDENT HAD BEEN PRACTICING LANDINGS AT ANOTHER AIRPORT AND WAS LANDING AT THIS AIRPORT FOR FUEL. THERE WAS A CROSSWIND AT THE AIRPORT AND THE IP MADE THE APPROACH AND LANDING. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE TOUCHDOWN WAS THREE POINT IN THE CESSNA 170A AND IT ROLLED STRAIGHT FOR SOME DISTANCE, THEN STARTED A GRADUAL TURN TO THE RIGHT AND CONTINUED UNTIL IT IMPACTED TWO PARKED AIRPLANES. HEAVY SKID MARKS FROM THE LEFT TIRE WERE FOUND ON AND ALONGSIDE THE RUNWAY. INVESTIGATION INDICATED PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE STEERABLE TAILWHEEL. THE TAILWHEEL WOULD NOT STAY IN THE LOCKED POSITION.
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: 2,477 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 2,324 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IDX Olathe KS at 8:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,030 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from IDX, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.