Piper PA-24-260 accident near Charles City, Iowa, November 12, 1991
On November 12, 1991 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9161P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charles City, Iowa (Charles City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PROPER GLIDE PATH NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PREMATURE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION AND INADEQUATE AIRSPEED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 1991 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Charles City, Iowa · Charles City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9161P · registry record · serial 24-4649
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING HIS IFR FLIGHT THE ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT TWO INCHES OF RIME ICE ON THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS AND HAD LOST ABOUT 15 KNOTS AIRSPEED. HE ESTABLISHED THE ACFT ON THE LOCALIZER FOR THE APPROACH AND WHEN HE WAS 1.9 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT AND 500 FEET AGL HE REDUCED HIS AIRSPEED TO 100 KNOTS AND LOWERED THE GEAR. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE TERRAIN ABOUT 800 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,190 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 875 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: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTG Worthington MN at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI92LA026.