Piper PA-28-180C accident near West Liberty, Iowa, January 12, 1996
On January 12, 1996 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180C, registered N8221W, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Liberty, Iowa (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and an intentional ground loop/swerve. A factor in the accident was the wet grass runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1996 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- West Liberty, Iowa · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180C · all PA-28-180Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8221W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2354
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the airplane made a normal touchdown on the grass airstrip. When he applied the brakes to stop, the airplane skid as if it was on ice. To avoid impacting a parked airplane and a fence located at the end of the runway, the pilot applied full power and full right rudder to turn the airplane. The airplane went into a bean field, and its left wing impacted a fence post. The pilot stated that the airstrip looked dry, but it was wet and muddy because the snow had recently melted leaving the ground very soft.
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: 1,400 hours in all; 900 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1995; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IA24 Greencastle IA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,400 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.