Cessna 180 accident near Topeka, Kansas, August 12, 1989
On August 12, 1989 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N24TW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Topeka, Kansas (Billard airport). 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE TO SUPPLY POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1989 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Topeka, Kansas · Billard
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N24TW · registry record · serial 31611
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE REALIZED HE WAS TOO HIGH ON HIS APPROACH AND EXECUTED A SLIP MANEUVER ON THE BASE TO FINAL LEGS. THEN HE SAID THAT HE FELT HE WAS TOO LOW AND APPLIED ADDITIONAL THROTTLE. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO THE THROTTLE APPLICATION WHICH RESULTED IN A LANDING IN A CORN FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AND ENGINE RUN-UP REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINE AND COMPONENTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 716 hours in all; 133 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,309 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1989; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OJC Olathe KS at 3:40 pm
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,099 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from TOP, 1 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.