# Accident 20260611007479A: Piper PA-36-300, Henderson, NE, June 11, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 2026, 21:03 local time
- Place: Henderson, NE
- Airport: Boardman Aerial
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RNCG
- Location: 40.7505° N, 97.8563° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7505&lon=-97.8563&mi=10
- Aircraft: N57846, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N57846) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-36-300 (registry code 7103612, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-36-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-36-300
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 12,750 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26FA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA216) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260611007479A

## Narrative

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

ACCORDING TO THE EMPLOYEE OF THE AGRICULTURE OPERATOR, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION TO HIS RESIDENCE FOR MOSQUITO ABATEMENT AT DUSK. TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A 50 FT TALL ROTATING BEACON TOWER THAT WAS UNLIT. THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A HEADING OF 278 DEGREES MAGNETIC AT AN ALTITUDE OF 40 FT ABOVE THE GROUND, ACCORDING TO AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST. ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES NAVAL OBSERVATORY ASTRONOMICAL APPLICATIONS DEPARTMENT, AT 2100CDT THE SUN WAS .2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON, ON AN AZIMUTH OF 301.6 DEGREES MAGNETIC. EYEWITNESS LOCATED ON THE GROUND (2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE) STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING UNUSUALLY LATE IN THE EVENING AND THE OPERATION COULD BE HEARD AND OCCASIONALLY SEEN FROM THIS LOCATION. THE SOUND OF THE INITIAL IMPACT OF THE TOWER WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED BY THE INITIAL TERRAIN IMPACT. THE WRECKAGE SITE WAS LOCATED IN A SOYBEAN FIELD ABOUT 280 FT WEST OF THE UNLIT TOWER ON A HEADING OF 279 DEGREES MAGNETIC. THE IMPACT AREA INDICATED A LOW ANGLE AND HIGH VELOCITY IMPACT. THE DEBRIS FIELD EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY 57 FT WEST OF THE INITIAL TERRAIN POINT OF IMPACT AS THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST AT A HEADING OF 094 DEGREES MAGNETIC. THE WEATHER STATION ON THE AIRPORT INDICATED A LIGHT NORTHWEST WIND.

## 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 WPR26FA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA216), Jun 12, 2026: Piper PA-36-300 (N57846), Henderson, NE, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing

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.