Accident Killed Three In NE
While investigators at the scene of a fatal accident last week
in SE Nebraska are piecing together the wreckage in hopes of
determining a cause of the mishap, the pilot's instructor is asking
why his student, George Greening -- who had recently received his
private license for VFR ops -- took off into heavy fog sometime in
the early hours of December 29.
"I tried to search my soul to see if there was anything I could
have done so this wouldn't have happened," said CFI Jim Price to
the Kansas City Star.
Greening, 45, died in the accident, along with his ex-wife,
Julie Greening, and a friend of the couple, Pamela Britt. All three
were from Abilene, KS, and had flown to Omaha to go dancing at a
local club.
FAA records show George Greening received his pilot's license
eight months ago, according to the Star. Greening did not have an
IFR rating, although Price said he was supposed to work on his
instrument training this week.
As was reported last week in
Aero-News, the three took off sometime late Wednesday
night or early Thursday morning from the Millard Airport, an
untowered field west of Omaha. The wreckage of the Piper PA-28-180
Cherokee (file photo of type, above) was found Thursday morning in
a field about five miles from the field.
A heavy fog blanketed the city at the time, according to reports
from local residents, and records at the Omaha TRACON show the
aircraft never showed up on radar.
No one knows why Greening took off into conditions that even a
seasoned IFR pilot may have decided to wait out on the ground.
Price suggested the may have been trying to make it back home in
time for work -- a case of "get-home-itis" that has been the
downfall of too many pilots.
"I am not sure what happened except I wouldn't be jumping to
conclusions by saying that he was using poor judgment," Price
said.
** Report created 12/30/2005 Record
1 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 9072J
Make/Model: PA28 Description: PA-28
CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
Date: 12/29/2005 Time: 1600
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: MILLARD
HIGHLANDS
State: NE Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, MILLARD, NE
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 3
# Crew: 1 Fat:
1 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 2 Fat:
2 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: OMA 360004 OVCO13 TOP022
OTHER DATA
Activity: Pleasure Phase:
Unknown Operation: General
Aviation
Departed:
Dep Date: Dep.
Time:
Destination:
Flt Plan: NONE Wx
Briefing: N
Last Radio Cont:
Last Clearance:
FAA FSDO: LINCOLN, NE
(CE09)
Entry date: 12/30/2005