Piper PA-28 accident near Derby, Kansas, December 28, 1988
On December 28, 1988 at about 5:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N2213T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Derby, Kansas (Cook Airfield). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- December 28, 1988 · about 5:19 pm local time
- Place
- Derby, Kansas · Cook Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N2213T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125564
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG AN ENG RUN-UP BEFORE A SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLT, THE CREW NOTICED THE CARB HEAT CONTROL WOULD ONLY MOVE ABOUT 1/2 OF ITS NORMAL TRAVEL. THE PLTS DISCUSSED THE MALFUNCTION & RAN THE ENG FOR ANOTHER 1 TO 2 MIN UNTIL THE OIL TEMP GAUGE INDCD A TEMP RISE. DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 400 FT AGL WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WERE FLWD, BUT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT GAIN IN ENG POWER. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RETURN & LAND; HOWEVER, THE PLTS WERE UNABLE TO REACH THE ARPT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT TREETOPS & CRASHED SHORT OF THE RWY. LATER, AN EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS FROZEN WATER ON THE INSIDE OF THE ENG AIR INTAKE FILTER. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND, EXCEPT FOR THE RESTRICTED TRAVEL OF THE CARB HEAT CONTROL. METEOROLOGICAL CONDS WERE RPRTD TO BE CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICING.
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: 309 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 181 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,941 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1988; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K50 Derby KS at 5:16 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 1,700 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from IAB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.