Weatherly 201C accident near Clarks, Nebraska, May 30, 1995
On May 30, 1995 at about 3:54 pm local time, a Weatherly 201C, registered N9038W, was destroyed in an accident near Clarks, Nebraska. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a partial failure of the engine supercharger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1995 · about 3:54 pm local time
- Place
- Clarks, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly 201C · all 201Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9038W · registry record · serial 1019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS WHO OCCASIONALLY SAW THE AIRPLANE DURING ITS TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION REPORTED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD 'POP' SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED A FREE WHEELING SUPERCHARGER IMPELLER. THE COLLECTOR DRIVE FLOATER GEAR HAD 4 1/2 TEETH MISSING. METAL CHIPS WERE DETECTED IN THE OIL SCREEN. THE GEAR TEETH FROM THE FLOATER GEAR WERE FOUND IN THE SUMP AND ENGINE'S CRANKCASE HOUSING. A BORESCOPE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE'S CYLINDERS REVEALED OPERATION WITH A RICH MIXTURE. SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE IMPELLER WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE GEAR TEETH'S LOCATION NOTED ABOVE. MISSING GEAR TEETH COULD ALSO INTERRUPT ENGINE POWER. THE NTSB METALLURGICAL LABORATORY'S FINDINGS ON THE SEPARATED GEAR TEETH AND FLOATER GEAR REVEALED OVERSTRESS SEPARATION OF THE GEAR TEETH.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,272 hours in all; 2,940 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8,172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,810 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1995; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from GRI, 35 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.