OIN Airport Manager Informed The Pilot That The Weather Was Low Ceilings And Visibility

Location: Selden, KS Accident Number: CEN24FA243
Date & Time: June 30, 2024, 17:52 Local Registration: NS14137
Aircraft: Waco YKC Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On June 30, 2024, about 1752 central daylight time (CDT), a Waco YKC airplane, NS14137, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Selden, Kansas. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code ofFederal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The airplane departed about 0640 eastern daylight time from Knox County Airport (4I3) in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and two fuel stops were conducted en route; one at the Shelby County Airport in Shelbyville, Illinois, about 0840 central daylight time, and another stop at the Chillicothe Municipal Airport (CHT) in Chillicothe, Missouri, about 1135 CDT. 

While in Shelbyville, the passenger made the first of several text messages to the Oberlin Municipal Airport (OIN), Oberlin, Kansas, airport manager stating that OIN was their planned destination for the day.

At 1348 CDT, shortly after departure from CHT, the passenger messaged the OIN airport manager stating that they were unsure if they would make OIN but estimated their time of arrival about 1700 CDT. Another message was sent at 1601 CDT stating that the weather was looking too low at OIN, and they were landing in Phillipsburg, Kansas.

The airplane diverted and landed at Phillipsburg Municipal Airport (PHG) in Phillipsburg, Kansas, at 1615 CDT. While on the ground, the pilot made several telephone calls to both the OIN airport manager and a family friend in Colby, Kansas, to inquire about the weather en route and possible destinations. The OIN airport manager informed the pilot that the weather was low ceilings and visibility, and he did not know when the weather would improve. The family friend in Colby reported that he assumed they would be overnighting in Colby based on the telephone conversion he had with the pilot.

The airplane departed PHG at 1710 CDT for an unknown destination. Six minutes after departure from PHG, the passenger made a final text message to the OIN airport manager stating that they were “going to try and go south to get out of  this stuff”. Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar data, beginning at 1746:09, showed the airplane make several climbing turns starting at an altitude of 3,025 ft mean sea level (MSL) to a maximum altitude of 4,625 ft MSL over the accident site. The data then showed the airplane begin a descending right bank, before data was lost at 1748:54 on a heading of 075°, at 109 knots groundspeed, and an altitude of 3,800 ft MSL, which was about 1,050 ft above ground level.

The accident site was in a relatively flat agricultural field about .10 nautical miles southeast of the last received ATC radar position. Impact marks and debris were consistent with the airplane impacting the terrain in about a 90° right bank and about 40° nose down attitude. The debris field was about 526 ft in length and 67 ft in width on a heading of about 183° continuing to a heading of about 228° with evidence of a postaccident fire.

Multiple residents reported dense fog in the area about the time of the accident. An oil rig crew, located about a half mile from the accident site, reported they were unaware of the accident due to the dense fog which made them unable to see the top of their derrick. The airplane was equipped with the required Visual Flight Rule (VFR) flight instruments, a Turn Indicator with a slip-skid ball, and a Vertical Speed Indicator. The pilot also had a handheld Garmin GPSMAP 496 and an Appareo Status 3.

The circuit boards of both the Garmin handheld and Stratus were recovered and retained for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov