Amateur-built RENEGADE SPIRIT accident near Tekamah, Nebraska, September 3, 1995
On September 3, 1995 at about 1:00 am local time, a amateur-built RENEGADE SPIRIT, registered N494KN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tekamah, Nebraska (Tekamah airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the reason for the loss of engine power was undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1995 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Tekamah, Nebraska · Tekamah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RENEGADE SPIRIT RENEGADE S
- Registration
- N494KN · no longer on the register · serial KKN001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND TEST FLIGHT OF N494KN. HE FLEW FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES DOING CONTROL CHECKS BEFORE RETURNING TO TEKAMAH AIRPORT. WHEN HE TURNED ON THE BASE LEG FOR A FULL STOP LANDING, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STOPPED. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE HIT A FENCE CAUSING IT TO NOSE OVER. AN INSPECTION CHECK OF THE AIRPLANE'S SYSTEMS WAS CONDUCTED ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINE CONTROLS, IGNITION SYSTEM, COOLING SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ALL SYSTEMS APPEARED TO BE OPERATIONAL. A SECOND INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE IF THE ENGINE WOULD RUN. AFTER THE STARTER WAS REPLACED AND THE WIRING TO THE MAIN FUEL PUMP WAS REPAIRED, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND IT RAN SMOOTHLY.
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: 150 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 96 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 15, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EA81 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TGE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from OLU, 76 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.