Piper PA28-180 accident near Holdrege, Nebraska, April 18, 1984
On April 18, 1984 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA28-180, registered N1961T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holdrege, Nebraska (Brewster Moni airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- April 18, 1984 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Holdrege, Nebraska · Brewster Moni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-180 · all PA28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N1961T · registry record · serial 7105194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON A SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT. HIS 1ST EN ROUTE STOP WAS AT HOLDREGE, NE. HE ABORTED HIS 1ST ATTEMPT TO LAND & MADE A 2ND APCH. IN THE MEANTIME, THE PLT OF ANOTHER ACFT LANDED & EXPERENCED TURBULENT WINDS. WHEN THE STUDENT LANDED (AFTER THE 2ND APCH), THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT & WENT DOWN A SLIGHT EMBANKMENT BESIDE THE RWY, TOWARD A DITCH. THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK UNEVEN TERRAIN, KNOCKING THE NOSEWHEEL FROM THE NOSE GEAR STRUT. THE STRUT DUG INTO THE GROUND & THE ENG MOUNTS & FIREWALL WERE DAMAGED. THE STUDENT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH & WEST AT 5 TO 10 KTS. APRX 22 MI NORTHEAST AT KEARNEY, NE, THE WIND WAS FROM 060 DEG AT 5 KTS.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 37 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 130 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,761 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1983; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A, (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRI Grand Island NE at 8:00 pm
- Destination: GRI Grand Island NE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 4,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from EAR, 22 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.
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.