- Date
- January 24, 1995, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Burwell, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8825ZPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950124001729A
- Case key
- 9826
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's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing and takeoff. A factor was rough/uneven terrain.
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 selected a pasture for landing and takeoff for a local flight. During the takeoff, the airplane hit a rut and veered into a fence. The pilot stated that he should have picked a more suitable location for the flight operation.
Factual narrative
On January 24, 1995, at 1300 central standard time, a Piper PA- 18-150, N8825Z, registered to Bellamy Aerial Spraying, Inc., of Elwood, Nebraska, and operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damaged during a takeoff from a private pasture, near Burwell, Nebraska, when it impacted a rut and ran through a fence. 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 local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that on takeoff the airplane hit a rut, turned sideways and went through a fence. He also stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had "found a better place to land and takeoff."
The passenger stated that the airplane veered to the left and then to the right side prior to impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8825Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7576
- Airframe hours
- 4,561
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bellamy Aerial Spraying, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 31, 1994 · 58 hours before
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 994 total · 500 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BBW, 31 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.