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

FMI: www.ntsb.gov