Teratorn Acft INC. TIERRA II accident near Lexington, Nebraska, March 9, 1984
On March 9, 1984 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Teratorn Acft INC. TIERRA II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- March 9, 1984 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Teratorn Acft INC. TIERRA II, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNK · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD FLOWN FROM CALLAWAY TO LEXINGTON, NE, EARLIER IN THE DAY. AFTER A SHORT VISIT, HE DEPARTED ON A RETURN FLT. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT RETURN. ABOUT 5 HRS AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON ROLLING TERRAIN. SEARCH PERSONNEL REPORTED THERE WAS SNOW ON THE WRECKAGE WHEN IT WAS FOUND. AT KEARNEY & GRAND ISLAND, NE, REDUCED CEILINGS & VISIBILITIES WITH SNOW & FOG WERE REPORTED NEAR THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD CRASHED ON 3 DEG DOWNWARD SLOPING TERRAIN IN A WINGS LEVEL, SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, ON A HEADING OF 335 DEG. THE DESTINATION ARPT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 31 MI SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. THE ACFT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED AS AN ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE WITH AN EMPTY WT OF 350 LBS. HOWEVER, IT WAS BUILT WITH LARGER TIRES & HAD A 6 GAL FUEL TANK INSTALLED.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LXN Lexington NE at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 6NE9 Callaway NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from EAR, 38 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.
Other NTSB records under UNK 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.