Piper PA 36-375 and Piper PA-36-375 mid-air collision near Bertrand, Nebraska, July 23, 1984
On July 23, 1984 at about 12:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA 36-375 (N3930E) and Piper PA-36-375 (N3968E), were involved in a mid-air collision near Bertrand, Nebraska. 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 23, 1984 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bertrand, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA 36-375 · all PA 36-375s on the register
- Registration
- N3930E · no longer on the register · serial 368302023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-36-375 · all PA-36-375s on the register
- Registration
- N3968E · no longer on the register · serial 368302024
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA 36-375 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3930E AND N3968E HAD DEPARTED AS A FLIGHT OF TWO FOR AERIAL APPLICATION. THERE AS NO RECORD OF PREFLIGHT BRIEFING OR COORDINATION PLANNING. AT COMPLETION OF OPERATIONS ON THE OBJECT FIELD, N3930E ADVISED N3968E BY RADIO THAT HE WAS MAKING A FINAL CLEANUP SWATH RUN TOWARD THE NORTH ALONG THE WEST BOUNDARY OF THE FIELD. DURING THIS SWATH RUN, HE OBSERVED N3968E HEADED SOUTHBOUND AND TO THE EAST OF HIS POSITION. ON COMPLETION, N3930E PULLED UP, TURNED RIGHT AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO MAKE AN EASTBOUND CLEANUP RUN ALONG THE NORTH BOUNDARY (NO RADIO ADVISORY). THE TWO ACFT COLLIDED HEAD-ON, LEFT WING TO LEFT WING, SEPARATING THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING PANELS. BOTH ROLLED LEFT INTO SUBSEQUENT UNCONTROLLED COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-36-375 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3930E AND N3968E HAD DEPARTED AS A FLIGHT OF TWO FOR AERIAL APPLICATION. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF PREFLIGHT BRIEFING OR COORDINATION PLANNING. AT COMPLETION OF OPERATIONS ON THE OBJECT FIELD, N3930E ADVISED N3968E BY RADIO THAT HE WAS MAKING A FINAL CLEANUP SWATH RUN TOWARD THE NORTH ALONG THE WEST BOUNDARY OF THE FIELD. DURING THIS SWATH RUN, HE OBSERVED N3968E HEADED SOUTHBOUND AND TO THE EAST OF HIS POSITION. ON COMPLETION, N3930E PULLED UP, TURNED RIGHT AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO MAKE AN EASTBOUND CLEANUP RUN ALONG THE NORTH BOUNDARY (NO RADIO ADVISORY). THE TWO ACFT COLLIDED HEAD-ON, LEFT WING TO LEFT WING, SEPARATING THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING PANELS. BOTH ROLLED LEFT INTO SUBSEQUENT UNCONTROLLED COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
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 for the Piper PA 36-375 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,176 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,085 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 73 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1984; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-D1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bertrand NE at 12:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from EAR, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-36-375 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,275 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 73 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1984; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-D1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Bertrand NE at 12:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.