On October 28, 1989, a Cessna 320 (registration N5725X) was involved in an aviation accident near Nebraska City, NE. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALITTUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY AND THE LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane crashed in a field approximately 16 miles north of its intended airstrip after being seen flying low along a highway in foggy conditions. The pilot had received a weather briefing indicating IFR conditions along the route.
Incident Overview
A pilot received a weather briefing prior to departure and was informed that instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions existed along the planned route to Auburn, Nebraska. Witnesses observed the airplane flying at low altitude along a highway east of the intended destination airstrip. The airplane subsequently crashed in a field about 16 miles north of the intended airstrip.
Weather Conditions
Local weather at the time of the incident was reported by witnesses as foggy with a light mist. The pilot had been made aware of IFR conditions along the route during the preflight briefing.
Witness Observations
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying low over a highway east of the airstrip where the pilot intended to land. They described the weather as foggy with a light mist. The airplane was later found crashed in a field approximately 16 miles north of the intended airstrip.