Piper PA-28-181 accident near Amana, Iowa, September 27, 1990
On September 27, 1990 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N21489, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amana, Iowa (Amana airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT NOT ATTAINED AND GO-AROUND DELAYED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE ATC COMMUNICATIONS INADEQUATE AND WET, GRASS RUNWAY WITH A TAILWIND ENVIRONMENT PLUS A FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 1990 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Amana, Iowa · Amana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N21489 · registry record · serial 287990050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN LONG ON THE 2750 FT, WET GRASS RUNWAY. AFTER APPLYING BRAKES, HE BELIEVED HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY, SO HE ELECTED TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE, BUT IT CONTINUED FLYING. THE PLT RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LDG. BOTH WING FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN RUPTURED AND THE EMPENNAGE WAS DAMAGED BY COLLISION WITH THE FENCE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 547 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Key City Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DBQ Dubuque IA at 12:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:00 pm from CID, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N21489 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.