- Date
- May 25, 1994, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Weeping Water, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2331MPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940525012529A
- Case key
- 9542
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
the pilot-in-command's misjudging compensation for wind conditions. Factors were tailwind, and wind information confusing.
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 pilot-in-command stated that he checked the windsock and found it to be erratic. He landed the airplane on runway 35, however was unable to stop on the runway and overran the end. He stated that he thought he had picked up a tailwind on touch down. The FBO stated that the wind had been variable all day.
Factual narrative
On May 25, 1994, at 1215 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28- 181, N2331M, registered to Smith Center Kite Club, Inc., of Smith Center, Kansas, and operated by a private pilot, experienced an overrun on runway 35 (2,200' x 60' turf/gravel) at Browns Field, Weeping Water, Nebraska. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Freemont, Nebraska, at 1145.
The pilot stated that he checked the windsock and it was favoring runway 35 but it was erratic. The pilot reported he was aware that the field was short so he made a conscientious effort to land slow and short. The pilot stated upon touch down he felt like he might have "picked up a surface tailwind." The airplane landed long, ran off the end of the runway, and went down an embankment.
According to the pilot, the Fixed Based Operator stated "that the wind had been trying to find a direction all morning."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2331M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890247
- Airframe hours
- 2,089
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Bryan Tillett
- Registered owner
- Smith Center Kite Club, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 7, 1993 · 112 hours before
- Departed
- FET · Freemont, NE
- Airport
- EPG · Browns, runway 35, 2,200 × 60 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 20 in this make and model · 240 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OFF, 19 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.