Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bertrand, Nebraska 68927
Sunday, August 24, 1986 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON AN UNSUPERVISED LOCAL SOLO FLIGHT WHEN HE DECIDED TO LAND AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. AS HE HAD DRIVEN HIS AUTOMOBILE ON THIS RUNWAY FOUR DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND HAD FOUND THE LANDING SURFACE CLEAR HE ASSUMED THAT THE RUNWAY WOULD BE CLEAR ON THIS DAY, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED. AS SUCH, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE DID NOT PAY ATTENTION TO RUNWAY SURFACE HAZARDS DURING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN APPROACH AND SUBSEQUENT LANDING, BUT CONCENTRATED INSTEAD ON POWER LINES AND OTHER RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN IRRIGATION PIPE THAT WAS PLACED BY THE PROPERTY OWNER ACROSS THE RUNWAY THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS REVEAL THAT A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BERTRAND
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68927
Event Date Year 1986
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2550
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1600 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID LBF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2779
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 58
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5000
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) 2388
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33063
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5376F
NTSB Number MKC86LA173
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-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7715112
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Aug 9 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3495
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RODNEY A. RENKEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R. 2, P.O. BOX 17
Aircraft Owner City SMITHFIELD
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68976
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 LXN
Departure City LEXINGTON
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
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 Landing
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 18
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --