Piper PA-28R-200 accident near New Hampton, Iowa, August 10, 1998
On August 10, 1998 at about 2:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N9350N, was destroyed in an accident near New Hampton, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight/planning inspection and his continued flight into known adverse weather conditions that led to spatial disorientation and loss of aircraft control. Also causal was the pilot exceeded the design limits of the airplane causing in-flight separation of the wings and empennage. Contributing to the accident were the poor weather conditions, and the pilot's lack of an instrument rating.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1998 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- New Hampton, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9350N · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35052
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight departed Airlake Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota en route to Rock County Airport, Janesville, Wisconsin. According to Radar Data, the images showed activity in the area of the accident site. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot did not possess an airplane instrument rating. At 1928 central daylight time, a person, who stated that his aircraft was N9350N received a visual flight rule weather briefing The briefer reported that a Northeast Southwest orientated cold front was moving through the area, ahead of which was a huge area of thunderstorms and rain showers which started around Rochester and extended to the Steven's Point area. The caller reported, during his weather briefing, that he was looking at the radar of convective activity on a screen in front of him. There were no radio communications with the accident aircraft and Flight Watch or Minneapolis Center. The wreckage was found over a 1,350 foot by 1,030 foot area. Both wings, vertical stabilizer and left half of the stabilator were not located with the aircraft's fuselage and exhibited deformation at their separation points.
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: 120 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1998; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVN Minneapolis MN
- Destination: JVL Janesville WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 38 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:05 am from CCY, 16 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.