Piper PA-28-161 accident near Ankeny, Iowa, March 28, 1999
On March 28, 1999 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N82164, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1999 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ankeny, Iowa · Ankeny Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N82164 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8016332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he landed slightly left of centerline but aligned with the runway. The airplane began to swerve to the left and he applied an increasing amount of right rudder. He reported he determined the airplane had sufficient airspeed to lift-off, so he applied full throttle and released the right rudder application. The airplane departed the side of the runway, but he thought the airplane had enough airspeed to become safely airborne. The airplane became airborne, but it was unable to climb, and it settled to the ground and came to a stop very quickly. The pilot reported that the engine was not sputtering or missing. The ground where the airplane came to rest was about 40 feet lower than 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: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,308 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1998; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKV at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from IKV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.