# Accident 19970710018209A: Piper PA25235, Oneill, NE, July 10, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 10, 1997, 15:45 local time
- Place: Oneill, NE
- Airport: Oneill Municipal/John L Baker Fie
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4600° N, 98.6407° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4600&lon=-98.6407&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7050Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7050Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA25235
- Reported engine: LYC O540B2B5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA209) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970710018209A

## Narrative

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

ON POSITIONING OPERATION GRADUALY LOSS ENGINE POWER. ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING. RIGHT WING HIT THE GROUND. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THE FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF. THE WINDS WERE FROM 160 DEGREES AT 20 GUSTING TO 27 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED FLYING AT 1,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. HE DIVERTED TO THE WEST DUE TO WEATHER. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER TWO HOURS OF FLIGHT, THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED FROM 2,200 TO 2,000, AND THEN TO 1,500 RPM. THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING TO LAND IN A FIELD WHICH RAN NORTH TO SOUTH, WHEN THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO 1,000. HE THEN DETERMINED THAT HE COULD NOT REACH THE INTENDED FIELD, SO HE TURNED TO THE SOUTHWEST FOR A FORCED LANDING. HE REPORTED THAT AS HE FLARED DURING TOUCHDOWN, A WIND GUST FROM THE SOUTH LIFTED THE LEFT WING, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE AN OPERABLE FUEL INDICATION SYSTEM. A VISUAL INSPECTION DISCLOSED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR FLOAT CHAMBER AND THE FIREWALL FUEL STRAINER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK OR LOWER FUSELAGE CAVITY. ALSO, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SEE                                                                                                                    PAGE AT THE CRASH SITE OF STAINS ON THE FUSELAGE WHERE FUEL COULD HAVE SEEPED OUT.

## 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 CHI97LA209](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA209), Jul 10, 1997: Piper PA-25-235A (N7050Z), O'Neil, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: fuel exhaustion, due to the pilot's improper planning/decision and inadequate fuel consumption calculations. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of an operable fuel indication system, and…

## Other reports on N7050Z (1)

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

- [Incident 19781004031109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781004031109I), Oct 4, 1978: Piper PA25235 (N7050Z), Monterrey, LA, Minor damage. Owner operator lost directional control of ag. Airplane after landing.

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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