Piper PA-28-180 accident near Harvard, Nebraska, September 24, 1986
On September 24, 1986 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7744N, was destroyed in an accident near Harvard, Nebraska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- September 24, 1986 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Harvard, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7744N · no longer on the register · serial 28-5185
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FOR A NIGHT, BUSINESS FLT. AT THE TIME OF THE BRIEFING A REPORTING STATION 22 NM NW OF THE ACDT SITE HAD A BROKEN CEILING AT 2300 FT WITH GOOD VIS. THE ACDT OCCURRED ABOUT 2 HRS AFTER THE BRIEFING LESS THAN 2 MI FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AT THAT TIME THE REPORTING STATION HAD A BROKEN CEILING AT 1000 FT. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACDT BUT RESIDENTS OF THE NEARBY TOWN SAID IT WAS A DARK, CLOUDY NIGHT WITH GOOD VIS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP LEFT BANK, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THE INVESTIGATION DID REVEAL THAT THE PLT AND PASSENGER HAD WORKED A NORMAL DAY AT THEIR HEARING AID BUSINESS AND ATTENDED A CHURCH MEETING UNTIL ABOUT 2300. THEY ALSO HAD A BUSINESS MEETING SCHEDULED IN OGALLALA THE NEXT MORNING.
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
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,134 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 1986; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Ogallala NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from GRI, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.