Piper PA-36 accident near St. Paul, Nebraska, July 2, 1983
On July 2, 1983 at about 11:00 am local time, a Piper PA-36, registered N57748, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Paul, Nebraska (Walts Aerial Service airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 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 2, 1983 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- St. Paul, Nebraska · Walts Aerial Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36 · all PA-36s on the register
- Registration
- N57748 · no longer on the register · serial 367660061
- 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 PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO GET TAKEOFF SPEED HE DUMPED HIS LOAD, THEN HIT A FENCE & FENCE POSTS. THE ACFTWAS ESTIMATED TO BE WITHIN THE CG & GROSS WEIGHT LIMITS. TWO INSPECTIONS OF THE ENG REVEALED NO MALFUNCTIONS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,918 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 2,727 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 854 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,400 ft by 134 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°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.