Cessna 172 accident near Osage City, Kansas, November 18, 1989
On November 18, 1989 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N20428, was substantially damaged in an accident near Osage City, Kansas (Osage City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT AND STATIC WIRES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1989 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Osage City, Kansas · Osage City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N20428 · no longer on the register · serial 1726128177
- 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 HAD JUST COMPLETED A NIGHT TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING AND WAS ON AN APPROACH FOR A FULL STOP LNDG. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, THE PAX, WHO WAS ALSO A PVT PILOT, SHOUTED 'WATCH THE WIRES' AND PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL WHEEL. THE PLT APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, BUT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE WIRES, THEN THE TERRAIN. THE WIRES WERE ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 111 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,204 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 8, 1989; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 53K Osage City KS at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,560 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from EMP, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.