Piper PA-28-151 accident near Des Moines, Iowa, February 16, 1982
On February 16, 1982, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N44710, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1982
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N44710 · registry record · serial 7515012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN REFUELED AFTER A PREVIOUS FLIGHT OF ABOUT ONE HOUR. THE PILOT VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL AND ESTIMATED 41 GALLONS REMAINING. HE BELIEVED THAT HE HAD ABOUT 5.2 HOURS OF FUEL. DURING AN IFR FLIGHT, HE DIVERTED FOR AN ENROUTE FUEL STOP WITH WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FUEL. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE STOPPED OPERATING ABOUT 4.5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AFTER ABOUT 4.3 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE WINGS HIT METAL REFLECTORS AT THE END OF A BRIDGE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME IN THE PIPER PA-28, BUT HIS TIME IN A WARRIOR WAS MORE LIMITED.
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
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 649 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 733 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,428 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 176 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Webster City Iron & Metal, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Clarksville TN at 2:10 pm
- Destination: Webster City Ia
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:29 pm from DSM, 5 miles away
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.