Simpson Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Decatur, Nebraska 68020
Tuesady, August 2, 1994 18:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF TO THE SOUTH AND CLIMBED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SURROUNDING CORNFIELD. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND DROPPED INTO THE FIELD. A POSTACCIDENT FIRE ENSUED. THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER OF THE SINGLE-SEAT AIRCRAFT WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PILOT'S MOTHER WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT; SHE RECEIVED 2ND AND THIRD DEGREE BURNS WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED A RESCUE. A HORIZONTAL IMPRESSION OF THE SPINNER AND PROPELLER WAS LOCATED IN THE SOIL ABOUT 2 FEET IN FRONT OF THE NOSE. THE METAL, FIXED-PITCH PROPELLER WAS SLIGHTLY BENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF TORSIONAL BENDING AND NO CHORDWISE SCRATCHES. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. DURING A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD, A LOW LEVEL (0.002 UG/ML) OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIJUANA) WAS DETECTED. TESTS OF HIS URINE DETECTED 0.033 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID, 0.109 UG/ML OF METHAMPHETAMINE, AND 0.207 UG/ML OF AMPHETAMINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DECATUR
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68020
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SIMPSON AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1952 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID SUX
Elevation of weather observation facility 1098
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 1
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1522
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6440Z
NTSB Number CHI94FA263
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25
Aircraft Serial Number 25-599
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 28 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 112
Airframe Hours 7150
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIMPSON'S AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1050 S. STATE STREET
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TIM SIMPSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 1, BOX 72
Operator City DECATUR
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 68020
Operator Code LRXG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --