# Accident 19971223043449A: Piper PA30, Hastings, NE, December 23, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 23, 1997, 23:00 local time
- Place: Hastings, NE
- Airport: Hastings Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach-IFR
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.5809° N, 98.3899° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5809&lon=-98.3899&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9WG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9WG-2013-09-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA30
- Reported engine: LYC IO320C1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,153 total, 93 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971223043449A

## Narrative

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

NARRATIVE NOT ATTACHED. INDICATES LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO AIRFRAME ICING.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (.4)THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINALLY DEPARTED FROM NAMPA, IDAHO, AT 0830 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME (MST) WITH MOUNTAIN HOME, IDAHO, AS A STOPOVER AIRPORT, AND HASTINGS, NEBRASKA, AS THE INTENDED FINAL DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT DEPARTED CHEYENNE, WYOMING, ABOUT 1940 MST.  AT 2224 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST), THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED THAT THE WEATHER AT HASTINGS INDICATED WINDS AT 080 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS, ONE QUARTER MILE VISIBILITY, FREEZING FOG, A FEW CLOUDS AT 100 FEET, 4,200 FOOT OVERCAST, TEMPERATURE MINUS 2 DEGREES C, DEW POINT MINUS 2 DEGREES C, AND ALTIMETER 29.87.  AT 2227, THE PILOT REPORTED, 'WHISKEY GOLF, WE'RE GONNA SHOOT AN APPROACH INTO HASTINGS, AH, IF IT'S NO GOOD WE'LL, AH, DO A MISSED AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.'  AT 2250, THE PILOT REPORTED, 'AH, MISSED APPROACH.  I (WANT TO) TRY IT AGAIN.'  THE PILOT RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO FLY A SECOND APPROACH.  AT 2300 CST, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED AN IRRIGATION TOWER AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1/2 MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT.  BOTH PROPELLERS INDICATED BLADE TWIST AND CHORDWISE SCRATCHING.  THE RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT INDICATED THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE AIRPLANE DURING THE FLIGHT, SHE REMEMBERED THAT THE PILOT FLEW THE SECOND APPROACH DOWN TO 2300 FEET OR 2350 FEET ON THE ALTIMETER AND STRATED TO PULL UP ON THE AIRPLANE'S YOKE. THE FIELD ELEVATION WAS 1961 FEET.  THE MDA WAS 2360 FEET.  THE ALTIMETER WAS SET AT 29.84.  DURING THE FLIGHT, THERE HAD BEEN INDICATIONS OF ALTIMETER ERROR WHNE THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ATC.

## 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 CHI98LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA072), Dec 24, 1997: Piper PA-30/A (N9WG), Hastings, NE, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper IFR procedure, by which he failed to maintain minimum descent altitude. Fog, a low ceiling, and night condition were a contributing factor.

## Other reports on N9WG (1)

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

- [Incident 19900925050519I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900925050519I), Sep 25, 1990: Piper PA30 (N9WG), Sanford, FL, Minor damage. On final approach pilot forgot to lower landing gear and landed gear up.

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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