Flight Details
The pilot and his passenger, who was his wife and with whom he had been separated for some time, departed on a local flight from Weeping Water, Nebraska. Although not verified, the purpose of the flight was believed to be for personal reasons.
Witness Observations
Several witnesses observed the aircraft flying low and slow over the Platte River. A witness near Ashland, Nebraska, reported that the aircraft was so low that the pilot initiated a climb to cross over a bridge. Witnesses last saw the aircraft flying up the meandering river (upstream) at low altitude.
Wreckage and Toxicological Findings
The aircraft was subsequently found where it had crashed in 3 to 4 feet of water, about 30 yards from the shore. It crashed in a steep nose-down attitude, on a downstream heading. The nose of the aircraft took the brunt of the impact, but there was also damage to the forward cockpit, wings, wing struts, and landing gear. The empennage and aft fuselage were undamaged. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft was found. Toxicological checks showed the pilot had a urine alcohol level of 0.108% and a blood alcohol level of 0.058%.