Cessna 180 accident near Springfield, Nebraska, December 6, 1987
On December 6, 1987 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N46TD, was destroyed in an accident near Springfield, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 6, 1987 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N46TD · registry record · serial 32377
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING LOW, UNDER THE OVERCAST, WHEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GUY WIRES OF A TV TOWER AND THE PLANE CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL. IT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND A POST-CRASH FIRE. WEATHER STATIONS IN THE AREA WERE REPORTING LOW IFR CONDITIONS WITH SKIES OBSCURED AND A LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT HAVING REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE. A COMPLETE TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED ON THE ACCIDENT ENGINE. NO EVIDENCE COULD BE FOUND TO SUGGEST A PREEXISTING DISCREPANCY THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A POWERPLANT FAILURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,700 hours in all; 95 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1987; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 5:35 pm
- Destination: FET Fremont NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from OFF, 15 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.