Amateur-built Easy Eagle 1 accident near Central City, Nebraska, October 2, 2010
On October 2, 2010 at about 1:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Easy Eagle 1, registered N44KW, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Central City, Nebraska (Central City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2010 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Central City, Nebraska · Central City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Easy Eagle 1
- Registration
- N44KW · registry record · serial 614
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot had just departed in his experimental airplane on a local flight when he experienced a total engine failure at an altitude of 500-700 feet above the ground. The pilot was unable to land on the remaining length of runway and therefore he elected to make a forced landing to a plowed field directly off the end of the runway. The airplane sustained damage to all three landing gear, the fuselage, and both wings. During a postaccident examination of the engine, the source of the power loss could not be determined; no other anomalies were found with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 161 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1915; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 07K Central City KS
- Destination: 07K Central City KS
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 33
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.