- Date
- June 6, 1998, 16:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Harrison, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4541RPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980606019869A
- Case key
- 10919
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 improper positioning of the magneto switch and his improper use of the mixture control.
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 was damaged during a forced landing about one mile after departure from the airport. The pilot said that after the accident, he discovered the magneto switch to be selected to only magneto and that he did not use the mixture control to reduce the rich mixture prior to departure.
Factual narrative
On June 6, 1998, at 1635 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N4541R, registered to and operated by a private pilot sustained substantial damage while conducting a forced landing about one mile northwest of the Harrison Sky Ranch Airport, near Harrison, Nebraska. The pilot said that after the run-up he forgot to set the magneto switch to the "both" position. He said the engine was not providing enough power to sustain flight on only one magneto and he elected to conduct a forced landing in an open field. The pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight was originating at the time with the intended destination of Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
The pilot said after the accident he discovered the magneto switch to be selected to only one magneto. He said in his written statement that he did not use the mixture control to reduce the rich mixture which he believed might have also reduced the power output of the engine.
A subsequent examination of the airplane failed to reveal any pre-accident anomalies which might have contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4541R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-21246
- Airframe hours
- 4,565
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward S. Hempel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 1998 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 9V3 · Harrison, NE
- Destination
- BFF · Scottsbluff, NE
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 154 total · 5 in this make and model · 117 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.