Piper PA-28-151 accident near North Loup, Nebraska, May 11, 1995
On May 11, 1995 at about 5:53 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N41329, was destroyed in an accident near North Loup, Nebraska (Ord Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE TO THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A FORCED LANDING, AFTER EXPERIENCING FUEL STARVATION DUE TO FUEL MISMANAGEMENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE OVERSIGHT (SUPERVISION) BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), FAILURE OF THE STUDENT TO RESTART THE ENGINE (EMERGENCY PROCEDURE), INADEQUATE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TRAINING BY THE CFI, DARKNESS, THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE, AND FATIGUE (LACK OF SLEEP).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1995 · about 5:53 am local time
- Place
- North Loup, Nebraska · Ord Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N41329 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7415174
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON 5/9/95, THE STUDENT PILOT & HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) DEPARTED ORD, NE, ON A LONG CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO MARANA, AZ. SEVERAL STOPS WERE MADE EN ROUTE TO REFUEL AND/OR REST, THOUGH THEY GOT ONLY ABOUT 4 HRS OF SLEEP BEFORE CONTINUING THEIR TRIP THE NEXT DAY. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS FOR THE CFI TO PURCHASE A 2ND AIRPLANE AT MARANA, THEN FOR BOTH AIRPLANES TO RETURN TO ORD, TOGETHER. HOWEVER, THE 2ND AIRPLANE WAS NOT READY, SO THEY DECIDED THAT THE STUDENT WOULD RETURN TO ORD ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. ON THE RETURN FLIGHT (BEGINNING AT ABOUT 1230 CDT ON 5/10/95), THE STUDENT STOPPED TO REFUEL AT ROSWELL, NM, DALHART, TX, & GARDEN CITY, KS. HE TOOK OFF FROM GARDEN CITY AT NIGHT (2123 CDT), BUT THE PLANE CRASHED ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. A RADAR PROFILE (MATCHING THE FLIGHT) DISAPPEARED FROM THE SCOPE AT 0053 CDT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. AN EXAM REVEALED THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A VERTICAL ATTITUDE, WITH NO INDICATION OF ENGINE ROTATION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE ENGINE OR RIGHT WING, THOUGH THE PLANE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE DURING IMPACT. THE STUDENT HAD 19 HOURS FLIGHT TIME BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE CROSS-COUNTRY, HAD RECEIVED NO SPIN RECOVERY TRAINING, NO UNUSUAL ATTITUDE RECOVERY TRAINING, AND NO STALL RECOVERY TRAINING AT NIGHT. THE STUDENT'S LOG BOOK HAD NO RECORD OF RECEIVING TRAINING IN EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH LIGHT WINDS ON A PARTIALLY MOONLIT NIGHT.
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: student
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Garden City KS at 2:45 am
- Destination: ODX Ord NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:00 am, 2 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.