Piper PA-25-150 accident near Stapleton, Nebraska, August 23, 1991
On August 23, 1991, a Piper PA-25-150, registered N6070Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stapleton, Nebraska. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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'S DISREGARD FOR AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S POOR WEATHER EVALUATION, AND DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1991
- Place
- Stapleton, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-150 · all PA-25-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6070Z · registry record · serial 25-81
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE PREFLIGHT, ENGINE RUN UP AND TAKEOFF ROLL WERE NORMAL. AFTER LIFT OFF, THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A SINK RATE AND DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED HE, 'LOST LIFT AND WAS JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE.' HE STATED THIS OCCURRED TO HIM BEFORE IN WARM WEATHER, AND REPORTED THERE WAS NO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE 5500 FEET AND THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHIFTING WINDS REPORTED IN THE AREA.
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: 2,155 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,060 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 10, 1990; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from LBF, 19 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.