- Date
- April 3, 1998, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sabetha, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7108ZPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980403005929A
- Case key
- 10846
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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 stated that the aircraft lost engine power while maneuvering near the airport and he was unable to restart the engine. The pilot reported that he landed the airplane in a pasture and the airplane came to rest after a short slide. The purpose of the accident flight was to calibrate the sprayers on the aircraft. The accident engine was inspected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), Wichita, Kansas, and no anomalies were found.
Factual narrative
On April 3, 1998, at 1000 central standard time, a Piper PA-25-235, N7108Z, was substantially damaged following a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing in a farmer's field. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 maintenance flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed Sabetha Municipal Airport, Sabetha, Kansas, at 0955.
According to the pilot's written statement, the purpose of the flight was to calibrate the sprayers on the aircraft. The pilot stated that the aircraft lost engine power while maneuvering near the airport and he was unable to restart the engine. The pilot stated that he landed the airplane in a pasture and the airplane came to rest after a short slide.
The accident engine was inspected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), Wichita, Kansas, and no anomalies were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7108Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-209-04
- Airframe hours
- 5,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Scott Heinen
- Registered owner
- Glenn Heinen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 11, 1997
- Departed
- K83
- Airport
- K83 · Sabetha Municipal Airport
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,332 total · 40 in this make and model · 2,291 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.