What happened
On July 19, 2025, a Kolb Firestar, registration N55161, crashed in a soybean field near Meadow Grove, Nebraska. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use. According to a family member, the pilot departed from a private airstrip at approximately 1610 central daylight time. Local authorities were alerted to the accident around 2050 when a property owner discovered the aircraft in a field. There were no witnesses to the event, and the precise time of the crash remains undetermined.
The aircraft struck the ground approximately 0.3 miles south of the departure airstrip. The impact path was oriented toward the southwest, with the initial ground contact occurring about 50 feet from the final wreckage position. The accident resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the forward fuselage was crushed aft, compromising the cockpit area. The left wing separated at the root but remained attached by the wing strut, while the right wing remained attached to the fuselage. The tailboom was fractured approximately 2 feet behind the fuselage, though the empennage remained attached via the elevator and rudder cables. The upper portion of the vertical stabilizer and rudder showed deformation consistent with the impact.
Regarding control systems, aileron control was continuous from the stick to the wing roots and ailerons, though rod end separations at the wing roots appeared to be results of overstress from the impact. The torque tube was also deformed. Control cable continuity for the elevators and rudder was confirmed.
The engine had separated from the airframe and rested near the fuselage. While the engine assembly appeared intact and the crankshaft could be rotated, the intake air filters and carburetors had separated. One propeller blade had separated at the root and showed deformation and delamination consistent with ground impact, while the remaining two blades were intact.