Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ashland, Nebraska 68003
Friday, April 21, 1989 20:38 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT AND HIS PASSENGER (WIFE), WHO HAD BEEN SEPARATED FOR SOME TIME, DEPARTED ON A LOCAL FLT FROM WEEPING WATER, NE. ALTHOUGH NOT VERIFIED, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS BELIEVED TO BE FOR PERSONAL REASONS. LATER, SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVEDTHE ACFT FLYING LOW & SLOW OVER THE PLATTE RIVER. A WITNESS NEAR ASHLAND, NE, RPRTD THE ACFT WAS SO LOW THAT THE PLT INITIATED A CLIMB TO CROSS OVER A BRIDGE. WITNESSES LAST SAW THE ACFT FLYING UP THE MEANDERING RIVER (UPSTREAM) AT LOW ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN 3 TO 4 FT OF WATER, ABOUT 30 YDS FROM THE SHORE. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, ON A DOWNSTREAM HEADING. THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT, BUT THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD COCKPIT, WINGS, WING STRUTS & LANDING GEAR. THE EMPENNAGE & AFT FUSELAGE WERE UNDAMAGED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT HAD A URINE/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.108% & A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.058%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE FLYING OVER A MEANDERING RIVER, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2038
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ASHLAND
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68003
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID OMA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 26
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39130
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33066
NTSB Number MKC89FA094
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 J3C
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C
Aircraft Serial Number 5817
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 7 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 1171
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALMQUIST, BARRETT, AND NELSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R. 1, BOX 116
Aircraft Owner City WEEPING WATER
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68463
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NELSON, MAX M.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3310 N. 75TH ST.
Operator City LINCOLN
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 68507
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 EPG
Departure City WEEPING WATER
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 2015
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
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --