Incident Overview
A student pilot, accompanied by an instructor, was conducting a practice non-directional beacon (NDB) approach to runway 34. During the procedure turn, the aircraft began descending. After rolling out on the inbound heading of 354 degrees, the instructor contacted Omaha Approach and received approval to switch to Plattsmouth advisory. While the instructor changed radio frequencies, the student pilot descended to the minimum descent altitude of 1,820 feet mean sea level.
Sequence of Events
At 7 DME, the instructor made the radio call to Plattsmouth advisory. At 5 DME, the student pilot performed the pre-landing checklist. The landing gear was extended, and the student pilot reported turning on the boost pump and switching fuel tanks. The instructor did not witness the actions but later observed the fuel pump on and the fuel selector positioned to the left tank. Engine instruments indicated normal readings.
At 1.8 DME, the instructor noted a drop in manifold pressure and RPM, accompanied by the aircraft nosing down. The instructor advanced the control levers fully forward and instructed the student to run the emergency checklist. Airspeed remained around 80 knots, and it became apparent that the aircraft could not reach the runway. Even in a best glide configuration, the runway was unreachable due to insufficient altitude.
Forced Landing
The instructor selected the most suitable landing site straight ahead, between the aircraft and the runway. He moved the throttle up and down twice, noting that it felt loose, with no engine response. The engine continued to sound as if it were running. The flaps remained retracted to extend the glide and clear a tree line. Beyond the trees, a fence with large posts blocked the path. Both pilots pulled up on the controls to clear the fence. On the other side, terrain sloped upward. After flaring, the stall warning sounded, the main landing gear contacted the ground, and the nose wheel struck hard.
Post-Accident Inspection
Examination of the aircraft at the accident site revealed no anomalies. The engine was inspected eight days later and also showed no anomalies.