Cessna 172E accident near Decorah, Iowa, August 22, 2004
On August 22, 2004 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N5410T, was destroyed in an accident near Decorah, Iowa (Decorah Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with a defective magneto, his failure to abort the takeoff due to degraded aircraft performance, and his failure to obtain or maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall/spin and subsequent impact with the ground. Contributing factors were the improper installation of the magneto's contact points by unknown entities due to undertorque of the mounting screws which led to the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2004 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Decorah, Iowa · Decorah Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N5410T · no longer on the register · serial 17251310
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted the ground about 5 miles north of the departure airport. The pilot received serious injuries and the 2 passengers were fatally injured. The pilot reported that he had no recollection of the flight subsequent to announcing his intention to takeoff on the radio. He made no mention of any discrepancies detected during the pre-flight inspection or the run-up. A witness reported hearing and seeing the accident airplane during taxi, run-up, and takeoff. He stated that the rpm drop during the run-up was very high in comparison to the allowable rpm drop. The witness stated that he saw the takeoff and, based on his experience of operating a similar model airplane, the accident airplane was not accelerating as he would expect. He stated that the sound of the engine was smooth, but that he did not believe that it was developing full power during the takeoff. He further stated that the airplane's acceleration was not fast enough for a normal takeoff. The witness stated that he observed no attempt to stop or slow the airplane. He stated that he observed the airplane rotate twice and then lifted about 3 feet off of the runway before it came back down left wing high and subsequently bounced into the air. He stated that at this point, the airplane was now over the end of the runway. The witness stated that he was alarmed that the airplane was not gaining altitude and he then lost sight of it behind some large trees. He stated that he believed that continued flight would not be possible due to the degraded performance. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the contact points for the left magneto were not opening during rotation of the magneto's input shaft. The mounting screws were able to be turned with minimal effort. The investigation did not reveal when maintenance was last performed on the magneto's points. No other pre-impact discrepencies were found.
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: 140 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,955 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEH Decorah IA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: MY72 Isle MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from DEH, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.