Piper PA 18-150 accident near Gordon, Nebraska, February 12, 2014
On February 12, 2014 at about 6:22 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA 18-150, registered N83325, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Gordon, Nebraska (Gordon Muni airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper planning and miscalculation of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2014 · about 6:22 pm local time
- Place
- Gordon, Nebraska · Gordon Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-150 A150, built 1976 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N83325 · registry record · serial 18-7609078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a statement provided by the pilot, the fuel calculations for the accident flight were based on the fuel burn from the flight the day before. On the day of the accident flight, the pilot used a clock timer from the time of engine start to estimate the longevity of the fuel supply. He and his passenger departed on a low altitude wildlife control flight. When the timer read 4 hours and 22 minutes, the engine experienced a partial loss of power two consecutive times. The pilot restored the power both times by applying carburetor heat. When the engine experienced a loss of power the third time, he attempted to restore the power by leaning the mixture control and adjusting the fuel selector. Finally, the engine experienced a total loss of power and the pilot landed on the highway to the north with a gusty quartering tailwind from the southwest. During the landing roll, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right. The airplane exited the road, struck a fence, and a wooden pole which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector determined that the airplane's usable fuel supply had been exhausted. In a statement provided by the operator's representative, the pilot stated that his fuel calculations were not correct and the fuel supply had been exhausted.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,328 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 3,938 as pilot in command; 318 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 4, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,717 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 A2B (piston); 136 hours total
- Operator: Usda Aphis Wildlife Services
The flight
- Departed from: GRN Gordon NE at 2:10 pm
- Destination: GRN Gordon NE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from KIEN, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 28, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation – FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation – Usda Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N83325 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.