No fatalities

9 Oct 2009: PIPER PA-18-150 — Bingham, NE

Bingham, NE, United States

On 9 Oct 2009, a PIPER PA-18-150 was involved in an aviation accident near Bingham, NE. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's impairment due to alcohol consumption and failure to maintain aircraft control. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported falling asleep and having no memory of the crash that occurred after departing Grant County Airport. A post-accident alcohol test showed a BAC of 0.078, and the pilot admitted drinking Schnapps before flight. The aircraft impacted terrain in a level attitude with no pre-impact abnormalities found.

Accident Details

The pilot departed Grant County Airport (1V2) in Hyannis, Nebraska for a local flight. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, he has no memory of the actual crash and stated that he had fallen asleep behind the controls.

Witness and Scene Information

A witness reported seeing the airplane flying low just before impact. Photographs of the scene and information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector indicated that the airplane impacted the terrain in a relatively level attitude.

Aircraft Examination

An examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities.

Pilot Toxicology and Medical

Approximately seven hours after the accident, local law enforcement conducted an alcohol test on the pilot, which revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.078. In a statement to law enforcement, the pilot admitted to drinking some Schnapps prior to departure. Additionally, the pilot did not have a current FAA medical certificate.

Contributing factors

Performance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedPilot