Piper PA-28-161 accident near Weeping Water, Nebraska, October 25, 1985
On October 25, 1985 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N47734, was substantially damaged in an accident near Weeping Water, Nebraska (Browns airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- October 25, 1985 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Weeping Water, Nebraska · Browns · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N47734 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816129
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TOO FAST WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE SHORT RUNWAY AND SHOULD HAVE MADE A GO AROUND. THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WENT DOWN A SLOPE AND IMPACTED A PILOE OF ROCKS.
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: 292 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 201 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,680 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 1985; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lindgren Enterprises,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LNK Lincoln NE at 3:30 pm
- Destination: EPG Weeping Water NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from LNK
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.