Beech 17 accident near Elgin, Nebraska, July 17, 1994
On July 17, 1994 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Beech 17, registered N1184V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elgin, Nebraska (Koinzan 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the road sign. Factors in the accident were the sign and the failure of the landing gear to extend into the full down and locked position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1994 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Elgin, Nebraska · Koinzan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 17
- Registration
- N1184V · registry record · serial 6748
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXTENDED THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. WHEN HE FLARED THE AIRPLANE FOR TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS SETTLING CLOSER TO THE GROUND THAN NORMAL. HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND AND ADDED FULL POWER. WHILE CLIMBING, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A ROAD SIGN LOCATED AT THE WEST END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY WITH THE GEAR PARTIALLY EXTENDED. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE LANDING GEAR WAS PERFORMED. A COMPLETE RETRACTION CHECK COULD NOT BE PERFORMED DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE TO THE GEAR RETRACTION SYSTEM. DURING THE TEST, THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR STOPPED TWICE WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL INFLUENCE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,535 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1994; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN-3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Overturf Electric Motors INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OLU Columbus NE at 3:00 pm
- Destination: NONE NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.