Flight Planning and Departure
The flight departed Harvard, Nebraska, with a destination of Wausa, Nebraska, approximately one hour of flying time to the northeast. The departure began about one hour and 40 minutes before dark.
Encounter with Headwinds and Darkness
According to the pilot in command (PIC), strong headwinds along the route delayed progress. The aircraft arrived at Wausa after dark. The PIC reported that no runway lighting was available at Wausa.
Attempts to Land
The pilot then changed course to land at Bloomfield, Nebraska, but reported that no lighting was available there either. The flight continued to Creighton, Nebraska. Again, the PIC reported no landing lights available, but due to a low fuel state, the pilot decided to land.
Final Landing and Accident
The PIC stated that during the landing roll in the dark, the aircraft encountered soft terrain and flipped inverted. The aircraft was not equipped with a landing light or a radio. Each airport where a landing was attempted was equipped with radio transmission activated runway lights. An operable transceiver is mandatory to activate runway lights.