Cessna 340 accident near Keokuk, Iowa, October 1, 2018
On October 1, 2018 at about 8:30 am local time, a 1975 Cessna 340, registered N89AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Keokuk, Iowa (Keokuk Muni airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to correctly identify the runway environment during an instrument approach at night in instrument meteorological conditions because he mistook building lights for runway lights, which resulted in landing short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2018 · about 8:30 am local time
- Place
- Keokuk, Iowa · Keokuk Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 Undesignat, built 1975 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N89AM · no longer on the register · serial 340-0545
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while conducting an instrument approach at night in instrument meteorological conditions, about 50 ft above the decision altitude of 921 ft, he mistook building lights for runway lights. He inadvertently touched down the airplane in a soybean field about 3/4 mile short of the runway. He then increased engine power to full, and the airplane climbed "a couple hundred feet." Once he established visual contact with the runway lights, he landed the airplane on the runway without further incident. The pilot added that the lateral guidance from the localizer was "dead center" but that he could not recall the position of the vertical guidance needle. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 030° at 3 knots, visibility was 1/2 statute mile with mist, overcast at 200 ft above ground level (agl), temperature 57°F, and dew point 57°F. The pilot reported that the airport ceiling was overcast at 300 ft agl with fog and rain and that visibility was 1 mile.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing
- Wrong surface or wrong airport during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Perception › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Operating environment › Approach aid coverage/avail › Glideslope › Compliance w/ procedure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Drizzle/mist › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,624 as pilot in command; 938 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 8, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,340 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TIO-550 (piston); 800 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TIO-550 (piston); 1,200 hours total
- Operator: Windy Point Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL at 7:45 am
- Destination: MPZ Mount Pleasant IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 08, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 am from KEOK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 11, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.