Piper PA-32-260 accident near Wilson, Kansas, August 26, 1986
On August 26, 1986 at about 7:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3442W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilson, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- August 26, 1986 · about 7:34 pm local time
- Place
- Wilson, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3442W · registry record · serial 32-307
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE THE FLIGHT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE CLEANED AND INSPECTED AND THE ENGINE WAS SERVICED WITH ELEVEN QUARTS OF OIL. THREE HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) WITH RAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE ENGINE WAS SECURED, AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED, AND A DESCENT UNDER IMC WAS INITIATED WITH VECTORS FROM KANSAS CITY ARTCC, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED. BUT UPON BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS, THE ONLY LANDING AREA AVAILABLE WAS A ROLLING PASTURE WITH A DRAINAGE DITCH ACROSS THE LANDING PATH. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED OIL STARVATION DUE TO FAILURE OF THE NUMBER SIX PUSHROD AND DAMAGE TO THE CRANKCASE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,430 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1986; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FNL Fort Collins CO at 4:15 pm
- Destination: SLN Salina KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 13,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from SLN, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.