Piper PA-17 accident near Scribner, Nebraska, July 20, 2007
On July 20, 2007 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-17, registered N4802H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scribner, Nebraska (Scribner State airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. A contributing factor was the gusting crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2007 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Scribner, Nebraska · Scribner State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-17 · all PA-17s on the register
- Registration
- N4802H · registry record · serial 17-100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control during landing on runway 17 (4,200 feet by 75 feet, concrete). The pilot stated that upon return from a local flight he noticed that the prevailing east wind had increased and he selected runway 17 for landing. He reported the airplane touched down; however, it lifted off again. He stated, "When it came down the second time [it] wasn't in line with the runway because of the strong east wind." He applied full rudder and subsequently right brake but was unable to regain control. He reported that application of the brake may have been excessive. The landing gear collapsed substantially damaging the airframe. The pilot noted, "The 20 -25 mph wind from the east was too much for me that day." The pilot reported winds from 090 degrees at 20 knots, gusting to 25 knots, at the time of the accident. The pilot reported no failures or malfunctions associated with the aircraft 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
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SCB Scribner NE at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 pm from FET, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4802H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CHI07CA251.