Piper PA-36 accident near North Platte, Nebraska, July 9, 1982
On July 9, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-36, registered N57738, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Platte, 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- North Platte, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36 · all PA-36s on the register
- Registration
- N57738 · registry record · serial 367660054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF ON A PLANNED AGRICULTURAL FLIGHT. AFTER DEPARTING THE RUNWAY, IT CONTINUED FOR A DISTANCE THROUGH UNCUT WHEAT UNTIL IT CONTACTED A SHALLOW WASHOUT AND SMALL BANK, THEN FLIPPED OVER. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES. AN INVESTIGAITON REVEALED THERE WAS FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS. ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS BENT UNDER THE ENGINE WITH LIGHT SCRATCHES PARRELLING THE FRONT OF THE BLADE. THE OTHER TWO BLADES WERE INTACT, NOT BENT, AND WITH NO SCRATCHES EVIDENT. THE MAGNETO AND BATTERY SWITCHES WERE ON. THE THROTTLE WAS ABOUT 1/4 OPEN, THE MIXTURE WAS RICH, AND THE PROPELLER CONTROL WAS FULL FORWARD. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO POINTS WERE DWELLED CLOSED AND WOULD NOT OPEN, THE POINTS WERE BURNED AND CORRODED. THE TEARDOWN REVEALED NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES. WHEAT STRAW WAS EVIDENT ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUTS AND TAILWHEEL SPRING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 15,646 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,213 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerial AG., INC.
The flight
- Departed from: North Platte NE at 9:29 am
- Destination: North Platte NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 169°F (76°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.