- Date
- August 2, 2001, 12:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Callaway, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4478YPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 52959
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight. Contributing to the accident was the muddy field and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a cornfield after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he, "... left the airport without fueling the airplane. Made a forced landing in a cornfield. The cornfield was the only available spot." The pilot reported the cornfield was muddy.
Factual narrative
On August 2, 2001, at 1205 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N4478Y, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a cornfield near Calloway, Nebraska. The pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial spraying flight had departed a private airstrip near Callaway, Nebraska, at 1100 and was spraying chemical when the airplane lost power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported he, "... left the airport without fueling the airplane. Made a forced landing in a cornfield. The cornfield was the only available spot." The pilot reported the cornfield was muddy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4478Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4150
- Airframe hours
- 4,630
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Johnie Witthuhn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 15, 2001 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- Calloway, NE
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- February 8, 2000
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 5,400 total · 3,400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC)
- Wind
- 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- BBW, 15 nm away