Piper PA-31T1 accident near Waterloo, Iowa, December 13, 2006
On December 13, 2006 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T1, registered N20DL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waterloo, Iowa (Waterloo Regional Airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The go-around not performed and the improper flare by the pilot during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2006 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waterloo, Iowa · Waterloo Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T1 · all PA-31T1s on the register
- Registration
- N20DL · registry record · serial 31T-8004045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane made a hard landing during a visual approach. The pilot reported he applied engine power to soften the landing and the left engine "spooled up faster" than the right engine, which veered the airplane to the right. The pilot then reduced engine power again in order "to maintain control of the airplane." He stated that the airplane was still not aligned with the runway when it impacted the ground.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,440 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,240 as pilot in command; 1,510 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,112 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 8,700 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PTGA-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PTGA-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKV Ankeny IA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: ALO Waterloo IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:04 pm from ALO
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.