Piper PA-28-180 accident near Burwell, Nebraska, March 30, 1991
On March 30, 1991 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N2071R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burwell, Nebraska (Burwell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A GUSTY CROSSWIND AND LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1991 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Burwell, Nebraska · Burwell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2071R · registry record · serial 28-5452
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A CROSSWIND LANDING, HE ENCOUNTERED INCREASED TURBULENCE ON FINAL. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT, THEN DEPARTED THE RUNWAY WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE CROSSWIND COMPONENT WAS 20 TO 30 KNOTS, ABOUT 10 DEGREES FROM THE LEFT.
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: 93 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Linair, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:54 pm from ODX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CHI91LA122.