Piper PA-32-300 accident near Omaha, Nebraska, December 12, 1985
On December 12, 1985 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N8895E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Omaha, Nebraska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 12, 1985 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8895E · no longer on the register · serial 32-7640075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N8895E WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 2,800' MSL, 15 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF AND WHEN THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO CLIMB POWER, THE ENG QUIT. THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD FOR THE FORCED LANDING BUT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE APPROACH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENG REVEALED 4 BROKEN TEETH ON CRANKSHAFT DRIVE GEAR. FAILURE OF THE GEAR RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ALL ACCESSORIES. A MEDICAL PATIENT WHO WAS BEING TRANSPORTED ON AN UNAPPROVED LITTER INSTALLED IN PLACE OF THE RT MIDDLE AND REAR SEATS HIT THE BACK OF THE RT FRONT SEAT DURING THE ACDT AND WAS INJURED.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 764 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 213 in the last 90 days; 669 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,828 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1985; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1GS (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Millard Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MLE Omaha NE at 10:00 pm
- Destination: RST Rochester MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:21 pm from OMA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.