Amateur-built CUBY PA-11 accident near Ashland, Kansas, November 22, 1989
On November 22, 1989 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built CUBY PA-11, registered N99615, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashland, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT WITH THE KNOWN DEFICIENCY. THE UNEVEN (TERRACED) TERRAIN WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1989 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CUBY PA-11
- Registration
- N99615 · registry record · serial HCB-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PLT OF THE HOME-BUILT ACFT WAS RTRNG TO THE ARPT FROM A LOCAL FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A TERRACED WHEAT FIELD SHORT OF THE ARPT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. CONDITIONS WERE NOT CONDUCIVE TO CARB ICING. THE PLT RPRTD THE ACFT HAD A HISTORY OF FUEL FLOW PROBLEMS; HE BELIEVED THIS MAY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE OCCURRENCE.
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: 148 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 769 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1989; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K58 Ashland KS at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from DDC, 40 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.