The inclusive subthreshold production of K- mesons in pion-nucleus col
lisions is analyzed in the first-collision approximation by means of v
arious forms of the momentum distribution of intranuclear nucleons. Th
e differential cross sections for K--meson production in pion-nucleon
collisions are described in the phase-space model with normalization t
o the experimental total cross sections. Simple parametrizations of th
ese cross sections are presented. The inclusive cross sections for K--
meson production in pi + C collisions are evaluated as functions of th
e primary-pion energy. The effect of uncertainties in the elementary c
ross sections for near-threshold K--meson production on the K--meson y
ield in pi + C collisions is investigated.