Cessna 172 accident near Waukon, Iowa, October 27, 1999
On October 27, 1999 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N52569, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waukon, Iowa (Waukon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot failed to maintain directional control of the airplane during the aborted landing. Factors relating to the accident included the crosswinds, the fence, and the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1999 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Waukon, Iowa · Waukon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N52569 · registry record · serial 52569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he flew over the airport to determine which runway to use based on the winds. He chose to land on runway 25. At 1645, the winds at an airport 12 nautical miles to the west were reported as 150 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 22 knots. The pilot reported he attempted to land but did a go-around. The pilot executed an aborted landing on his second attempt to land. Concerning his second attempt to land, he reported, 'This time I knew that I would need to press hard on the rudder so I moved my feet down, pressed hard on the rudder and slipped the plane down to the runway. After I landed, I kept pressing hard on the pedals thinking that I was on the brakes.' He reported, 'I kept pressing hard and the plane was not slowing down and was being blown off the runway to the North. I then decided to try and go around again-so I gave it full power and lifted off, but I was blown right into the fence. The plane kept rising but then started to stall so I brought it back down and went through two more fences and I hit a pole which took off the end of the wing before hitting a road bank head-on which stopped the plane.'
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,837 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1999; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHU Caledonia MN at 9:55 pm
- Destination: Y01
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,413 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from DEH, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.