# Accident 20101121051859A: Piper PA-24-260, Norfolk, NE, November 21, 2010 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 21, 2010, 19:00 local time - Place: Norfolk, NE - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.0383° N, 97.2003° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0383&lon=-97.2003&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8675P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8675P-2011-03-01) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24-260 (registry code 7102406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-260 - Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 780 total, 82 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11FA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA079) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101121051859A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON NOVEMBER 21, 2010, AT APPROX. 1630 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, THE AIRMAN (NOT IFR RATED) CONTACTED THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING. THIS WAS FOR HIS PLANNED VFR FLIGHT FROM CHAMBERLAIN, SD (9V9) TO OMAHA MILLARD AIRPORT, NE (MLE). THE BRIEFER INDICATED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENED ALONG THE PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT DUE TO LOW CEILINGS. THE BRIEFER AND PILOT CONTINUED THE EXCHANGE DISCUSSING THE CURRENT AND FORECAST WEATHER ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT FOR SEVEN MINUTES AND 22 SECONDS.THE AIRMAN'S BROTHER-IN-LAW REPORTED THAT HE HAD DROPPED THE AIRMAN OFF AT THE AIRPORT AFTER THE WEEKEND HUNTING TRIP. HE SAID THAT WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD SOME ICE AND FROST ADHEARING TO IT. AFTER OBTAINING SOME ANTI-FREEZE, THEY CLEANED THE AIRCRAFT OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.THE AIRMAN, ALONG WITH ONE PASSENGER, DEPARTED 9V9 IN N8675P UNDER NIGHT AND MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED SOUTH EAST BOUND ON COURSE TOWARD MLE. THEY WERE FLYING AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALTITUDE AS REPORTED BY A WITNESS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 90 SOUTH EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THIS WITNESS (A FORMER AIR NATIONAL GUARD PILOT) ALSO INDICATED HE FELT THAT THE CEILINGS WERE SOMEWHAT LOW FOR A VFR NIGHT FLIGHT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE RELFLECTING OFF THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS.TWO WITNESSES FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS JUST NORTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AND IN LINE WITH THE PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT, REPORTED A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT OVER THEIR RESIDENCE. ONE OF THE WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AS DARK, MISTY AND COLD. HE ALSO ESTIMATED THE TEMPETURE TO BE 28 OR 29 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.THE WEATHER AT NORFOLK, NE. LOCATED 13 MILES SOUTH WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED CEILINGS VARIABLE FROM 800'-1300' OVERCAST, 9 MILES VIS., NNW WINDS AT 9 KNOTS AND A CLOSE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD OF -2/- 3 DEGREES C.IN A CRUISE CONFIGURATION, TRAVELING IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION, THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPED A TREE TOP WITH THE RIGHT WINGTIP. THIS RESULTED IN THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING AND AILERON TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A LOW ANGLE AND HIGH SPEED. THE GROUND SCARS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT HIT THREE TIMES, EJECTING THE PILOT AND PASSENGER BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THERE WAS NO POST ACCIDENT FIRE. ## 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 CEN11FA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA079), Nov 21, 2010: Piper PA-24-260 (N8675P), Norfolk, NE, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into instrumental meteorological conditions which resulted in a collision with a tree. ## Other reports on N8675P (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19940324009889I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940324009889I), Mar 24, 1994: Piper PA24260 (N8675P), Omaha, NE, Minor damage. On 3/24/94, N8675P, Piper PA24-260, s/n 24-4123 departed Millard, Nebraska, on a personal flight to columbus, Nebraska. Upon arrival at columbus, Nebraska, the… - [Incident 19810217040199I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810217040199I), Feb 17, 1981: Piper PA24260 (N8675P), Ames, IA, Minor damage. Left gear collapsed due to side load crosswind landing caused improped repair to gear assembly to fail. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.