Piper PA 18-150 N4234Z

Summary

On 24 May 2016 at about 15:10 local time, a Piper PA 18-150 registered N4234Z, operated by Gothenburg Flying Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Cozad, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 May 2016 at 15:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Cozad, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Fiese Airstrip (2NE5)

Coordinates

40.9478, -99.9308

Aircraft

Piper PA 18-150

Registration

N4234Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Gothenburg Flying Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gothenburg → Gothenburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16LA193

1 person had minor injuries.

An in-flight loss of control for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting an aerial application flight about 25 ft above ground level when the airplane suddenly made an uncommanded descent and impacted a wheat field. The airplane came to rest inverted and sustained damage to both wings, wing struts, fuselage, and tail surfaces. Although the pilot noted some discrepancies with the airplane after it was rebuilt, examination of the wreckage, including the horizontal jackscrew assembly, did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.