Cessna 172M accident near Ottumwa, Iowa, August 6, 1991
On August 6, 1991 at about 1:11 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61568, was destroyed in an accident near Ottumwa, Iowa (Ottumwa Industrial airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE BY THE PILOT BY NOT MAINTAINING THE PROPER MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE ILS LOCALIZER AND GLIDEPATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1991 · about 1:11 pm local time
- Place
- Ottumwa, Iowa · Ottumwa Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61568 · no longer on the register · serial 17264646
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS RUNWAY 31 APPROACH. AS HE CONTINUED THE APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO TREES AND THE TERRAIN, INSIDE THE OUTER MARKER, 4.0 MILES FROM THE THRESHOLD AND .19 MILE TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE. INITIAL IMPACT WAS ON A HEADING OF 356 DEGREES MAGNETIC AT AN ELEVATION OF 820 FEET MSL. THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 845 FEET MSL. MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) BEFORE REACHING THE ILS GLIDE SLOPE WAS 2800 FEET; MDA FOR A LOCALIZER ONLY APPROACH WAS 1200 FEET. DECISION HEIGHT (IF ESTABLISHED ON THE ILS LOCALIZER & GLIDEPATH) WAS 1041 FEET. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER PHENOMENA WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT.
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: 529 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Air Exec, Onc.
The flight
- Departed from: K27 Fort Madison IA at 12:29 pm
- Destination: OTM Ottumwa IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded at 300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from OTM, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.