Piper PA-16 accident near Keokuk, Iowa, July 29, 2012
On July 29, 2012 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N6834K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Keokuk, Iowa (Keokuk Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll in a variable crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2012 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Keokuk, Iowa · Keokuk Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N6834K · registry record · serial 16-669
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane approached the destination airport, the pilot monitored the airport’s automated weather reporting station. The pilot stated that the airport’s reported wind changed from 160 degrees at 7 knots, to 200 degrees at 9 knots, and then to 180 degrees at 8 knots as they got closer to the airport. The pilot added that he initially planned to land on runway 26, but, upon circling the airport, he noted that the windsock favored runway 8. During the landing roll on runway 8, the airplane’s right wing lifted. The pilot stated that he was unable to lower the wing, and the airplane veered right and continued off the side of the runway. The airplane came rest in the grass with substantial damage to the fuselage just forward of the empennage. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 377 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 216 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 9, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,538 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOSH Oshkosh WI at 2:40 pm
- Destination: KEOK Keokuk IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KEOK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA503.