Piper PA18 accident near Rushville, Nebraska, March 8, 2019
On March 8, 2019 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1957 Piper PA18, registered N8566D, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Rushville, Nebraska. 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 partial loss of engine power due to the accumulation of carburetor ice, which resulted in a forced landing on rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2019 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rushville, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 150, built 1957 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N8566D · no longer on the register · serial 18-6220
- 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, during flight, the engine lost partial power. He applied carburetor heat and adjusted the mixture, but the engine did not respond. The engine continued to lose power, and the pilot conducted a forced landing on rough terrain, during which the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the temperature about the time of the accident was 30°F and that the dew point was 34°F. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious carburetor icing at cruise or climb power settings. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had "checked for carb ice sooner."
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel related during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 598 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 598 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 29, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 4,894 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9V5 Rushville NE at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 9V5 Rushville NE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.