Piper PA-34-220T accident near Winterset, Iowa, January 2, 1998
On January 2, 1998 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N8350Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winterset, Iowa (Winterset-Madison County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudging his airspeed on final approach, resulting in a long touchdown and insufficient distance to stop on the remaining runway available.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1998 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Winterset, Iowa · Winterset-Madison County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8350Z · registry record · serial 34-8133034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that during a straight-in approach to the airport, he kept the airspeed at 110 knots, because the ride was very rough. The airplane's airspeed crossing the runway threshold was 100 knots. The airplane touched down about 1,000 feet down the runway. The pilot said that when he applied brake pressure, he noticed that he had no pressure on the left brake pedal. The pilot said that he pumped the pedal three times, and then reapplied the brakes. The airplane was now three quarters of the way down the runway. Just before reaching the displaced threshold, the pilot said that the airplane swerved to the right. The pilot swerved the airplane to the left in hopes of turning onto the grass. The airplane slid sideways in the grass crashing into a fence and coming to rest in a ditch. Examination of the runway revealed tire marks beginning a third of the way down from the approach end, and running evenly down the runway until departing the prepared surface. Tire impressions in the grass continued from the end of the runway, veering left, and ending at the spot where the airplane came to rest. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,908 hours in all; 407 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 2,871 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,156 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 1997; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HRO Harrison AR at 7:30 pm
- Destination: 3Y3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 21 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from DSM, 21 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.