Piper PA-32-260 accident near Fort Dodge, Iowa, December 22, 1994
On December 22, 1994 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N7JD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Dodge, Iowa (Fort Dodge Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE. THE LOW CEILING AND FOG WERE A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1994 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Dodge, Iowa · Fort Dodge Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N7JD · registry record · serial 32-185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED AFTER PERFORMING A MISSED APPROACH AT THE INTENDED DESTINATION AIRPORT, HE FLEW TO THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AWAY. HE STATED THIS FLIGHT WAS SHORT AND HURRIED, AND 'BEFORE I COULD REMOVE THE APPROACH PLATE AND REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION...I WAS ALREADY FLYING THE (DME) ARC.' THE PILOT REPORTED WHEN THEY MADE THE TURN ONTO THE LOCALIZER, HE THOUGHT HE WAS ABOVE THE GLIDESLOPE AND INSIDE THE FINAL APPROACH FIX. HE STATED 'I STARTED DOWN AND...STARTED MY TRANSITION BACK TO INSTRUMENTS. THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS HITTING THE GROUND.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ABOUT 6 MILES FROM THE END 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 692 hours in all; 387 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 628 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,685 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3HA Lansing IL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CIN Carroll IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:34 pm from FOD, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.