Casualties unknown

Collision of Two Agricultural Aircraft (N3930E and N3968E)

Bertrand, NE, US

On July 23, 1984, a Piper PA 36-375 (registration N3930E) was involved in an aviation accident near Bertrand, NE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

Two agricultural aircraft, N3930E and N3968E, collided head-on while performing cleanup swath runs over a field, resulting in uncontrolled descent and ground impact.

Accident Overview

Two agricultural aircraft, registered as N3930E and N3968E, departed as a flight of two for aerial application operations. There was no record of a preflight briefing or coordination planning between the pilots. The flights proceeded to the object field for application.

Sequence of Events

Upon completion of primary operations on the field, the pilot of N3930E radioed to N3968E that he was executing a final cleanup swath run toward the north along the west boundary. During this pass, he observed N3968E heading southbound and positioned to the east of his own aircraft.

After finishing the northbound swath, N3930E pulled up, turned right, and began a descent to perform an eastbound cleanup run along the north boundary. No radio advisory was given for this maneuver. The two aircraft subsequently collided head-on, left wing to left wing. The impact separated the left outboard wing panels of both aircraft.

Following the collision, both aircraft rolled left and entered an uncontrolled descent, ultimately impacting the terrain.

Investigation

The investigation noted the absence of recorded preflight briefings or coordination planning. The radio call from N3930E regarding the northbound cleanup was the only communication between the pilots regarding their intentions. No probable cause was stated in the source material.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X40412. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.