Piper PA-25 N6440Z

Summary

On 2 August 1994 at about 23:45 local time, a Piper PA-25 registered N6440Z, operated by TIM Simpson, was involved in an accident near Decatur, Nebraska, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 August 1994 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Decatur, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Simpson Airstrip

Coordinates

42.0008, -96.2491

Aircraft

Piper PA-25

Registration

N6440Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

TIM Simpson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI94FA263

2 people died.

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF TO THE SOUTH AND CLIMBED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE SURROUNDING CORNFIELD. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND DROPPED INTO THE FIELD. A POSTACCIDENT FIRE ENSUED. THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER OF THE SINGLE-SEAT AIRCRAFT WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PILOT'S MOTHER WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT; SHE RECEIVED 2ND AND THIRD DEGREE BURNS WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED A RESCUE. A HORIZONTAL IMPRESSION OF THE SPINNER AND PROPELLER WAS LOCATED IN THE SOIL ABOUT 2 FEET IN FRONT OF THE NOSE. THE METAL, FIXED-PITCH PROPELLER WAS SLIGHTLY BENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF TORSIONAL BENDING AND NO CHORDWISE SCRATCHES. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. DURING A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD, A LOW LEVEL (0.002 UG/ML) OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIJUANA) WAS DETECTED. TESTS OF HIS URINE DETECTED 0.033 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID, 0.109 UG/ML OF METHAMPHETAMINE, AND 0.207 UG/ML OF AMPHETAMINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.