Piper PA-18 accident near Thedford, Nebraska, February 5, 2012
On February 5, 2012 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N3671Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Thedford, Nebraska (Thomas County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2012 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thedford, Nebraska · Thomas County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N3671Z · registry record · serial 18-7394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the left main landing gear hit a patch of ice on the runway, and the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot’s efforts to correct the veer were unsuccessful, and the airplane spun more than 90 degrees to the left and impacted a snowbank. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane’s fuselage, right wing, and right wing strut were substantially damaged during the accident.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 113 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,768 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 2011; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C90 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIF Thedford NE at 6:00 pm
- Destination: TIF Thedford NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from KTIF
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.