Cessna 172N accident near Western, Nebraska, February 25, 1991
On February 25, 1991 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738LL, was destroyed in an accident near Western, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1991 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Western, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738LL · no longer on the register · serial 17270061
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN VFR WEATHER CONDITIONS. ABOUT 9 MINUTES AFTER HE TOOK OFF, THE PILOT TOLD AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) THAT HE WAS ENCOUNTERING SNOW FLURRIES, AND REQUESTED ANY PERTINENT UPDATED WEATHER REPORTS/PILOT REPORTS. ATC REPORTED SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE AREA, BUT HAD NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION AVAILABLE. ELEVEN MINUTES LATER THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS LOSING GROUND CONTACT IN HEAVY SNOW AND REQUESTED VECTORS BACK TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THAT WAS THE LAST TRANSMISSION FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT RECEIVED A PRE-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INCLUDED FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR ICING AND POSSIBLE IFR CONDITIONS AND OCCASIONAL LIGHT SNOW AND FOG ALONG HIS FLIGHT PATH.
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
- Flight time: 204.3 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 1:15 am
- Destination: HJH Hebron NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:45 am from OLU, 34 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.