SIDNEY, NE, USA
N5464E
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT USED HIS 1981 ISSUE OF THE AOPA AIRPORT DIRECTORY TO SELECT A RUNWAY FOR LANDING AT SIDNEY, NE. THE DIRECTORY SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A 3800 FT SOD RUNWAY (08/26) AND A 6600 FT CONCRETE RUNWAY (12/30). THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE SOD RUNWAY, NOT KNOWING IT HAD BEEN CLOSED. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DRAINAGE DITCH THAT HAD BEEN DUG ACROSS THE AREA. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING LANDING, HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS POOR AND HE DID NOT SEE THE DITCH UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THE SOD RUNWAY HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR OVER A YEAR AND THE RUNWAY BOUNDARY MARKERS HAD BEEN REMOVED. ALSO, HE SAID THAT RECENTLY, WHEAT HAD BEEN HARVESTED FROM THE AREA PREVIOUSLY USED AS A RUNWAY AND A DRAINAGE DITCH HAD BEEN DUG.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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