Cessna 172N accident near Wellington, KS
On February 15, 2003, a Cessna 172N (airplane) was involved in an accident near Wellington, KS. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 15, 2003
- Place
- Wellington, KS
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.190°N, 97.333°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030219X00239
Official records · CHI03FA071
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Weather Briefing Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Kansas City Center Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Wichita Approach Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 14, 2003, approximately 1955 central standard time, a Cessna 172N, N5898E, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight impact with terrain near Wellington, Kansas. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight departed the Wiley Post Airport (PWA), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, approximately 1745, with an intended destination of Augusta Municipal Airport (3AU), Augusta, Kansas. An individual representing N5898E contacted the Wichita Flight Service Station (FSS) at 1405 and requested a weather briefing for the route from 3AU to Will Rogers World Airport (OKC), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The pilot was told that conditions were generally VFR, with scattered clouds at 2,000 ~ 3,000 feet above ground level (agl) and winds gusting to 24 knots. This was the only briefing record with Wichita FSS. No record of a briefing prior to departure from PWA was found. Two passengers accompanied the pilot from 3AU to PWA. Both individuals reported that it was an uneventful flight with relatively good weather. They stated that upon arrival at PWA, a line of clouds was visible to the northeast in the direction of Wichita. When one of the passengers remarked about the cloud line, the pilot reportedly said that the clouds were probably higher than they appeared to be. After departing PWA, the pilot contacted Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) at 2014 and requested VFR fl
Probable cause
Spatial disorientation experienced by the pilot and his subsequent failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to obtain an updated preflight weather briefing prior to the return flight, his attempted flight into known adverse weather, the lack of lighting (night) and the low ceilings.
More accidents in KS
- Sikorsky S-76B, Jul 5, 2001
- Cessna 421C Riley Turbine E, Jan 21, 2005
- Cessna 210M, Nov 6, 1983
- Cessna 401, May 11, 2012
- Beech A36, Jul 7, 1994
Browse: Kansas · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
