Cessna 172P accident near Williamsburg, Iowa, October 14, 1990
On October 14, 1990 at about 12:32 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N99862, was destroyed in an accident near Williamsburg, Iowa. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S ABRUPT PULL-UP TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DIVERTED ATTENTION TO ACTIVITIES ON THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1990 · about 12:32 pm local time
- Place
- Williamsburg, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N99862 · no longer on the register · serial 17276518
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN ACTIVE PURSUIT (POLICE CHASE). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN A LOW LEVEL LEFT TURN APPROACHING AN AREA OF ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO PITCH-UP, DEPART CONTROLLED FLIGHT, AND DESCEND INTO THE TERRAIN. A POSTIMPACT FIRE ENSUED AND CONSUMED MAJOR PORTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,544 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CID Cedar Rapids IA at 12:23 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Observation at 12:50 pm from CID, 18 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.