Piper PA-36 accident near Nickerson, Kansas, July 21, 1987
On July 21, 1987 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-36, registered N9935P, was destroyed in an accident near Nickerson, Kansas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 21, 1987 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Nickerson, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36 · all PA-36s on the register
- Registration
- N9935P · no longer on the register · serial 36-7560046
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A SWATH RUN TO THE EAST, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO PULL UP & BEGIN TURNING BACK TO THE WEST. THE WITNESS THEN SAW A BIG CLOUD OF SMOKE. SHE DID NOT SEE SPRAY COMING FROM THE ACFT DRG THE LAST SWATH RUN, ALTHOUGH HER VISION WAS LIMITEDBY FOLIAGE & BLDGS. ALSO, NO INTERUPTION OF ENGINE POWER WAS NOTED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & BURNED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. ACCORDING TO FAA MED RECORDS, THE PLT HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 8400 HRS.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Hutchinson KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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.