Piper PA-25 accident near Red Cloud, Nebraska, April 16, 1988
On April 16, 1988 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N7071Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Cloud, Nebraska (Red Cloud airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1988 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Red Cloud, Nebraska · Red Cloud · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N7071Z · registry record · serial 252852
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A FIRST TIME FAMILIARIZATION FLT, THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE BASE FIELD FOR LDG. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, AND ON RECOVERY, THE PILOT PITCHED THE NOSE UP TOO HIGH. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND THEN STRUCK THE RUNWAY DAMAGING THE LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER, SPRAY PUMP AND UPPER LONGERONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 244 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1988; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HSI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC88LA078.