Plattsmouth Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plattsmouth, Nebraska 68048
Sunday, August 27, 2000 18:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that prior to departing Spearfish, South Dakota, he fueled the airplane with 30 gallons. Approaching Fremont, Nebraska, the pilot said he noticed his fuel gauges were showing approximately 10 gallons in each tank. Nearing his destination airport at Plattsmouth, Nebraska, the pilot said the fuel tank he was on 'seemed to run dry.' He switched tanks and continued to the airport. Approximately 2 miles from the airport, he turned on the fuel boost pump. Shortly after, the airplane's engine 'sputtered, then quit.' The pilot said that he 'switched tanks again, rocked the wings to free all the fuel, and the engine ran for a couple of seconds, and quit.' The pilot said that he repeated this action two additional times with no success. He held the airplane's altitude so that it would clear a set of power lines in front of him. 'The stall warning light was flashing as I passed over the wires. I dropped the nose at this point to prevent a stall.' Seeing a roadway ahead, the pilot dropped the nose of the airplane so that he wouldn't 'hit the ditch and road embankment. We hit the ground and turned ... sideways ...' Examination of the airplane revealed approximately 1/2 cup of fuel on board. No other anomalies were revealed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper preflight planning, improper in-flight planning and decision not to land before exhausting the airplane's fuel. Factors relating to this accident were the power lines, the roadway, and the ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PLATTSMOUTH
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68048
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PLATTSMOUTH MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PMV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 315
Airport Elevation 1201
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1955 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID OFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 983
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2929
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 841
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2451R
NTSB Number CHI00LA272
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-5754
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 20 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 89
Airframe Hours 3020
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LASPACCATURA INTERNATIONAL INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 540 NORTH JACKSON STREET
Aircraft Owner City PAPILLON
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68046
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENNIS BRAUNESREITHER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 618 LOCUST STREET
Operator City YANKTON
Operator State SD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 57078
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ANW
Departure City AINSWORTH
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1640
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PMV
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 4100
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --