Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Nebraska 68059
Sunday, December 6, 1987 12:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW, UNDER THE OVERCAST, WHEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GUY WIRES OF A TV TOWER AND THE PLANE CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL. IT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND A POST-CRASH FIRE. WEATHER STATIONS IN THE AREA WERE REPORTING LOW IFR CONDITIONS WITH SKIES OBSCURED AND A LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT HAVING REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE. A COMPLETE TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED ON THE ACCIDENT ENGINE. NO EVIDENCE COULD BE FOUND TO SUGGEST A PREEXISTING DISCREPANCY THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A POWERPLANT FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/6/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68059
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 66
Weather Observation Facility ID OFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1048
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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) 2527
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37150
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N46TD
NTSB Number MKC88FA023
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 32377
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Apr 24 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1633
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRACY E. DIERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1800 NORTH NYE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City FREMONT
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68025
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 MKC
Departure City KANSAS CITY
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1135
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FET
Destination City FREMONT
Destination State NE
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --