Piper PA-25-235A accident near O'Neil, Nebraska, July 10, 1997
On July 10, 1997 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235A, registered N7050Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near O'Neil, Nebraska. It was a ferry 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
fuel exhaustion, due to the pilot's improper planning/decision and inadequate fuel consumption calculations. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of an operable fuel indication system, and the high winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1997 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- O'Neil, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235A · all PA-25-235As on the register
- Registration
- N7050Z · registry record · serial 25-2818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the fuel tanks were topped off. The winds were from 160 degrees at 20 gusting to 27 knots. The pilot reported flying at 1,000 feet above ground level. He diverted to the west due to weather. He reported that after two hours of flight, the engine RPM dropped from 2,200 to 2,000, and then to 1,500 RPM. The pilot was maneuvering to land in a field which ran north to south, when the engine RPM dropped to 1,000. He then determined that he could not reach the intended field, so he turned to the southwest for a forced landing. He reported that as he flared during touchdown, a wind gust from the south lifted the left wing, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane did not have an operable fuel indication system. A visual inspection disclosed a small amount of fuel in the carburetor float chamber and the firewall fuel strainer. There was no evidence of fuel in the fuel tank or lower fuselage cavity. Also, there was no evidence of fuel seepage at the crash site or stains on the fuselage where fuel could have seeped out.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 9,475 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,082 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1994; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2-B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8D7 Clark SD at 6:45 pm
- Destination: ONL Oneil NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:40 am from ONL, 11 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.