Searle Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ogallala, Nebraska 69153
Saturday, April 7, 1990 11:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS LANDING AT A FUEL STOP DURING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE SAID THAT THE PLANE FELL THE LAST FIVE FEET TO THE RUNWAY, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. HE VISUALLY INSPECTED THE PLANE, FOUND NO APPARENT DAMAGE, REFUELED AND FLEW BACK TO HIS HOME BASE. A POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; THE FIREWALL AND PROPELLER WERE BENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City OGALLALA
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 69153
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SEARLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OGA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3279
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 807
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 16 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1039
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41906
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64739
NTSB Number DEN90LA090
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17275616
Certified Max Gross Weight 2407
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name G.L. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5320 EDUCATION DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CHEYENNE
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82009
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code A1A
Departure City ALLIANCE
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --