- Date
- October 11, 1985, 09:05 local (14:05 UTC)
- Place
- Salina, KS
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9758KPiper PA-24
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851011051229A
- Case key
- 34044
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After departing the airport under very poor IFR weather conditions, the plt rpt autopilot problems of an unspecified nature. This was followed by reports of instrument troubles. Radar controllers gave the plt a no-gyro turn to the left. After the instructions were issued the acft disappeared off radar. Inspection of the acft did not reveal any malfunction of controls. The separated wing did not exhibit any pre-existant cracks and was found lying inverted in the field 50 feet from the main wreckage. Witnesses heard the acft fly overhead at a very low altitude and the sound of the engine running at full power. They also heard the acft hit the ground just a very short time after the acft flew overhead. No mechanical difficulty was found to account for the loss of control. Vacuum system examination did not reveal any prior failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9758K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890177
- Airframe hours
- 2,991
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sun Bird Aviation
- Registered owner
- George F. Shroyer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 29, 1985
- Departed
- SLN · Salina, KS
- Destination
- LBF · Northplatte, NE
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,020 total · 1,005 in this make and model · 916 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SLN, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.