Piper PA-18 accident near Ashland, Nebraska, January 12, 1991
On January 12, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N2115A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashland, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW PASS AND OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, 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 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N2115A · registry record · serial 18-1846
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAID THAT THEY OBSERVED TWO AIRCRAFT FLYING ABOUT 3 FEET OVER THE FROZEN, SNOW COVERED RIVER. ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT SKIMMED THE SNOW COVERED SURFACE WITH ITS MAIN GEAR, THEN NOSED OVER. THE ACFT LEFT TRACKS IN THE SNOW, ABOUT 360 FEET PRIOR TO THE NOSE OVER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FUEL SHORTAGE.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLE Millard NE at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:55 pm from OFF, 25 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.