Beech C23 accident near Ainsworth, Nebraska, June 21, 1996
On June 21, 1996 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N6014F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ainsworth, Nebraska. 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 inadequate fuel consumption calculations which led to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1996 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ainsworth, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6014F · no longer on the register · serial M-2107
- 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 he performed thorough preflight fuel consumption calculations. The 'first indication of a minimum fuel situation' was when he noticed the right fuel gauge 'deep into the yellow.' He selected the right fuel tank until the gauge indicated empty. The left fuel tank was selected and 1/8 fuel was indicated when the engine lost power. He switched to the right fuel tank and the engine regained power. The engine lost power again. The pilot selected a landing site in a field. On final, he realized that the terrain in the field was sloping about 20 degrees. He turned left to line up with a road and the left wing impacted the road. The airplane departed the right side of the road and descended a steep embankment. It traveled through a fence and came to rest in a flooded field sustaining substantial damage. The pilot and passenger egressed uneventfully.
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: 185 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 12:30 pm
- Destination: ANW
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N6014F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.