Beech 23 accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, February 16, 1988
On February 16, 1988 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N18868, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grain Valley, Missouri (East Kansas airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 16, 1988 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · East Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N18868 · no longer on the register · serial M-1958
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING SOFT FIELD TAKEOFFS, THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE OVERROTATED, ESTABLISHING TOO HIGH A NOSE UP ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DEPARTURE STALL, FOLLOWED BY UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE TERRAIN.
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: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,495 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 9, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 3GV Grain Valley MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,800 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from MKC, 30 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.