# Accident 19960814022599A: Piper PA38112, Fairbury, NE, August 14, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 1996, 19:45 local time
- Place: Fairbury, NE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0999° N, 96.9300° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0999&lon=-96.9300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2538N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2538N-2013-03-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,950 total, 4,700 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA298) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960814022599A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE STUDENT PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FARM FIELD AFTER BECOMING DISORIENTED AND LOW ON FUEL. THE STUDENT CALLED HIS INSTRUCTOR WHO FLEW TO A NEARBY AIRPORT.  THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR PURCHASED FUEL, REFUELED THE AIRPLANE AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM THE ROUGH FARM FIELD.  THEY REPORTED THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE CROSSED OVER A DITCH AT THE END OF THE FIELD, THE AIRPLANE SETTLED, IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER.  THE INSTRUCTOR STATED HE DID NOT WALK THE FIELD TO CHECK ITS CONDITION PRIOR TO THE TAKEOFF.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA298), Aug 15, 1996: Piper PA-38 (N2538N), Fairbury, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: inadequate airspeed and an inadvertant stall during the initial takeoff climb. Factors associated with the accident were the rough terrain used for takeoff and the ditch at the departure end on the…

## Other reports on N2538N (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19800318040399I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800318040399I), Mar 18, 1980: Piper PA38112 (N2538N), Des Moines, IA, Minor damage. Wind gust caused momentary loss of control on final approach. Aircraft went off side of runway.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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