1991 Andover tornado

In the afternoon of April 26, 1991, a large and destructive tornado moved through areas southeast of Wichita, located in the state of Kansas. The tornado killed seventeen, injured over two hundred others, and left an estimated $300 million worth of damages in its wake.

The tornado first touched down near Clearwater, moving northeast while retaining F0 and F1 intensity. The tornado rapidly intensified as it approached Haysville, reaching F3 intensity as it directly impacted the town. After leaving Haysville in ruins, the tornado struck several residential subdivisions in eastern Wichita, where four people were killed. The tornado then tracked across the McConnell Air Force Base, becoming violent shortly before hitting the tarmac. At this location, the tornado narrowly avoided striking ten Rockwell B-1 Lancers, two of which were equipped with nuclear warheads. The tornado then strengthened, reaching F5 intensity for the first time as it entered Andover. A mobile home park located in the town was obliterated, and thirteen people were killed; 165 more were injured as the park was torn apart in winds that were greater than 260 miles per hour (420 km/h). The tornado continued to heavily damage Andover before beginning to weaken after leaving the town. The tornado then struck an oil field, lofting a large oil tank over 0.8 miles (1.3 km) away. A short time later, the tornado dissipated, tracking a total of 46 miles (74 km) over a period spanning almost an hour and a half.

The tornado killed 17 people and produced damage that was rated as F5 by National Weather Service; "F5" is the highest rating a tornado can receive on the Fujita scale.