Cessna 140 accident near Lawrence, Kansas, October 21, 1988
On October 21, 1988 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N4190N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Kansas (Lawrence 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 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
- October 21, 1988 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Kansas · Lawrence · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N4190N · no longer on the register · serial 13661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ELECTED TO TERMINATE A LOCAL FLT DUE TO WINDY, TURBULENT CONDITIONS ALOFT. HE INITIATED A LANDING IN A SLIGHT CROSSWIND THAT HE RPRTD WAS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. DRG THE LANDING, HE LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT SLID TO A STOP ON ITS NOSE, DAMAGING THE PROP, LOWER ENG COWLING & FUSELAGE.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 62 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,813 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1988; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWC at 8:20 pm
- Destination: LWC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from TOP, 20 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.