# Accident 19980713023619A: Piper PA22, Nehawka, NE, July 13, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 1998, 10:30 local time
- Place: Nehawka, NE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.8207° N, 95.9807° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8207&lon=-95.9807&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3770A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3770A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22 (registry code 7102202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22
- Reported engine: LYC O290D2
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA247) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980713023619A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER AT CRUISE LOW ALTITUDE. LANDED IN CORNFIELD. (.4)THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE ENGINE SUFFERED A LOSS OF POWER.  HE SAID THAT IN RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF POWER, HE TRIED THE CARBURETOR HEAT, SWITCHED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR, AND CHECKED THE MAGNETOS.  HE SAID THAT WHEN POWER WAS NOT RECOVERED, HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK TO THE TANK ORIGINALLY SELECTED, AND INITIATED A FORCED LANDING IN A CROP (CORN) FIELD.  SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND SELECTED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THERE WAS NO LEAKAGE FROM THE TANK.  WHEN THE WINGS WERE REMOVED TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE, ONE QUART OF FUEL WAS REMOVED FROM THE RIGHT TANK.  AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RIGHTED THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN WITH NO NOTED MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.                                    (-23)THE PILOT WAS GIVING A FRIEND HER FIRST PLANE RIDE.  WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGTH AT A LOW ALTITUDE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, THE PILOT TRIED CARBERATOR HEAT AND SWITCH MAGNETOS, HE THEN SWITCHED TANKS BUT RETURNED FUEL SELECTOR TO ORIGINAL POSITION AND TANKS.  THE PILOT STATED THAT IT SEEMED TO RUN A LTTLE BETTER, SO HE DECIDED TO LAND ON HIS SPRAY STRIP 1/2 MILE AWAY                    WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORN FIELD.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.  INVESTIGATION PENDING AS TO CAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER.

## 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 CHI98LA247](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA247), Jul 13, 1998: Piper PA-22 (N3770A), Nehawka, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper fuel management and his improper use of the fuel tank selector. Factors were fuel starvation and crops.

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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