Piper PA-32-300 accident near Ellsworth, Nebraska, March 21, 1994
On March 21, 1994 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N5251S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellsworth, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
the jammed impulse coupling on the left magneto which caused the crankshaft drive gear to shear from the crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1994 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Ellsworth, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N5251S · registry record · serial 32-40954
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a cross country flight at 10,000 feet msl, the airplane had a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine without success. A forced landing was made on a county road and the airplane ran into a ditch. During the engine examination it was found that the left magneto impulse coupling had jammed. The crankshaft drive gear was found to be sheared from the crankshaft.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,718 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 6,556 as pilot in command; 541 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1993; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANW Ainsworth NE at 7:00 pm
- Destination: SBS Steamboat Spgs CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 21 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from AIA, 95 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 CHI94LA121.