Piper PA-22-108 accident near Overton, Nebraska, February 18, 2001
On February 18, 2001 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N5886Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Overton, Nebraska. 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 open exhaust valve. Factors relating to the accident were the sticking exhaust valve guide and the snow drift the airplane encountered during the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2001 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Overton, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N5886Z · registry record · serial 22-9750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that just south of Overton, Nebraska, the airplane's engine started running rough. The pilot said he elected to land on a corn stubble field. "I touched down normally and on roll out the aircraft contacted a snow drift and went over on its back." An examination of the airplane's engine revealed that the number 4 cylinder exhaust valve guide was sticking and the exhaust valve was not seating properly.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,105 hours in all; 19 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 244 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,561 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 2000; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-280-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAR Kearney NE at 8:15 pm
- Destination: CYS Cheyenne WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from GRI, 58 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.