Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fremont, Nebraska 68025
Thursday, August 10, 1995 17:09 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE AND PERFORMED THE ENGINE RUN-UP AND CONTROL CHECKS, AND ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS LOOKED NORMAL. HE REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL THE ENGINE HAD A LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN A DITCH AND HIT A CONCRETE BRIDGE ABUTMENT/CULVERT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS 'MISSING, FALTERING, AND SPUTTERING.' INSPECTION REVEALED THAT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS HAD CONTINUITY OR WERE CAPABLE OF OPERATING NORMALLY. THE FUEL SAMPLE WAS CLEAR AND BRIGHT. THE ENGINE OPERATED WITHIN MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS WHEN IT WAS RUN ON A TEST STAND. THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT AND BALANCE WERE WITHIN LIMITS ON TAKEOFF. THE TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS ABOUT 2,856 POUNDS AND THE GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT WAS 2,900 POUNDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable landing terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1709
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FREMONT
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68025
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1707 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID FET
Elevation of weather observation facility 1203
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3741
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1446
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1854
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGQGZ
NTSB Number CHI95LA267
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7703042
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 31 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 3221
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GORDON R. HJERTAAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 1332
Aircraft Owner City SASKATOON, CAN
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FET
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FAR
Destination City FARGO
Destination State ND
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --