North American AT-6 accident near Omaha, Nebraska, August 24, 2003
On August 24, 2003 at about 5:45 pm local time, a North American AT-6, registered N37642, was substantially damaged in an accident near Omaha, Nebraska (Offutt Afb airport). It was an air show or air race 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 not maintaining aircraft control during the landing roll. Factors were the grass the airplane encountered when the airplane ground looped off the runway and the main gear collapsed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2003 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Omaha, Nebraska · Offutt Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6 · all AT-6s on the register
- Registration
- N37642 · registry record · serial 88-10560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental exhibition tail wheel equipped airplane sustained substantial damage on contact with terrain when its left main landing gear collapsed during a ground loop. The pilot said, "I made a smooth 3-point landing at approximately 1245, and on roll out the airplane's right wing came up and the airplane made a turn to the right. I was unable to correct before it slid onto the grass, at that point the left main gear collapsed, causing the wing and prop to hit the ground." The wind was 200 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions prior to 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,375 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,225 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 21, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2003; 26.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-ANI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OFF Omaha NE at 5:30 pm
- Destination: OFF Omaha NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 11,700 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 28,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from OFF
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.