Piper PA-18-150 accident near Sidney, Nebraska, March 16, 2001
On March 16, 2001 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N3947Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sidney, Nebraska (Sidney Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing. A factor relating to this accident was the berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2001 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Sidney, Nebraska · Sidney Municipal Airport · 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 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3947Z · registry record · serial 18-7805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a 3-point landing on runway 12. The airplane "rolled solid on all 3 wheels for approximately 30-50 feet ... when [a] gust of wind picked up the mains (main landing gear)." The pilot momentarily applied full power and brought the airplane to a level attitude. The airplane then contacted the runway in a left-to-right drift. The pilot said he reapplied full power as the airplane drifted. The rotation to the right stopped with the airplane approximately 80 degrees to the runway. The pilot said he continued with full power in an attempt to fly away level. The airplane contacted a 3-foot high berm which caused the airplane to bounce into a nose high attitude. The pilot said he pushed the nose over and contacted the ground. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. The wind conditions reported at the time of the accident were 150 degrees at 10 knots, gusts to 15 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 375 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 273 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 7, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2001; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 6:20 pm
- Destination: SNY Sidney NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SNY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.