Piper PA-18 accident near Venango, Nebraska, February 22, 1987
On February 22, 1987 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N9498D, was destroyed in an accident near Venango, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- February 22, 1987 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Venango, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N9498D · no longer on the register · serial 186750
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE FLY OVER HIS PROPERTY FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTH AND HE WAVED TO THE PILOTS. THE AIRPLANE THEN CAME BACK TOWARD THE NORTH AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND WHEN THE WITNESS HEARD THE POWER BEING APPLIED, THE LEFT WING DROPPED AND ALMOST INSTANTLY, HE HEARD THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE GROUND. THE WITNESS DID NOT SEE THE ACTUAL IMPACT.
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: 400 hours in all; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 26, 1986; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from LBF, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.