Piper PA-22-150 N1680P

Summary

On 21 April 1990 at about 03:10 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N1680P, operated by Burri, Gregory D., was involved in an accident near Eldora, Iowa, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 April 1990 at 03:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Eldora, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Eldora (6C0)

Coordinates

42.3596, -93.0997

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N1680P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Burri, Gregory D.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

O'neill → Waterloo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MKC90LA092

3 people had minor injuries.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE AIRCRAFT'S LOW FUEL LEVEL, DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG AIRPORT/RUNWAY, THE RUNWAY LIGHTS NOT OPERATING, AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (TRANSMISSION LINES).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP, THE PILOT NOTED THE FUEL LEVEL WAS GETTING LOW, SO HE ATTEMPTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AN UNLIGHTED TURF AIRPORT. HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS BY USING THE ACFT'S TRANSMITTER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE HAD SELECTED THE WRONG AIRPORT; SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS ALSO USING THE WRONG RADIO FREQUENCY FOR THAT AIRPORT. DURING FINAL APPROACH TO WHERE HE THOUGHT THE AIRPORT WAS LOCATED, THE ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT AND TWO PSGRS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES; THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.