Piper PA-28R-201T accident near La Porte City, Iowa, November 29, 1994
On November 29, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N1194H, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Porte City, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a material defect which resulted in the fatigue failure of the crankshaft and the aircraft owner's failure to comply with a Mandatory Service Bulletin addressing the defect. A factor related to the accident was the rough terrain on which the forced landing was made.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte City, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N1194H · registry record · serial 28R-7703016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY ENGINE VIBRATIONS AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS VECTORED TOWARD A GRASS AIRSTRIP WHICH HE COULD NOT LOCATE. EN ROUTE TO THE GRASS STRIP A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED IN A PLOWED CORN FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD SEPARATED BETWEEN THE NO. 3 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL AND THE NO. 5 CYLINDER CRANKPIN DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING. TCM SERVICE BULLETIN 92-16 ADDRESSING CRANKSHAFTS MADE FROM NON-VACUUM ARC REMELTED STEEL HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH.
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
- Flight time: 208 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 97 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1994; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STP St. Paul MN at 4:00 pm
- Destination: ARG Walnut Ridge AR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:37 pm from ALO, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI95LA048.