Piper PA-18-150 accident near Gordon, Nebraska, May 4, 2003
On May 4, 2003 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9682P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gordon, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. Contributing factors to this accident were the rain, hail, and wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2003 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gordon, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9682P · registry record · serial 18-7509024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it stalled on takeoff and impacted terrain. The pilot reported observing approaching weather which he described as a squall line approximately two miles west of his location. He also noted that a light rain had started and was accompanied by pea-size hail. Weather conditions reported by the Pine Ridge Airport (IEN) automated surface observing system, at 1530, were winds from 340 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots, 10 miles visibility, and few clouds at 3,300 feet above ground level. The weather report included a notation of thunderstorms in the vicinity and lightening in the distance to the west and southwest. The pilot recalled taking off to the south and had begun his initial climb. He reported that the aircraft started to buffet and he "knew a stall was coming." In his statement the pilot noted the "aircraft stalled on takeoff, not enough altitude for recovery." The aircraft bounced and the right wing and main landing gear impacted the terrain. The aircraft then nosed over.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 10, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 441 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2002; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,751 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Gordon NE at 8:30 pm
- Destination: PVT Wounded Knee SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.43 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 pm from IEN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI03LA121.