Cessna 170A accident near Le Mars, Iowa, October 12, 1982
On October 12, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N9035A, was destroyed in an accident near Le Mars, Iowa. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- October 12, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Le Mars, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9035A · no longer on the register · serial 18790
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A POWER LINE PATROL MISSION WITH AN OBSERVER ON BOARD. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE WIND WAS FROM THE WEST AT ABOUT 20 KTS AND HE WAS FLYING EAST ALONG A LINE THAT MADE A 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE NORTH. AT THAT POINT, HE BEGAN A 270 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT TO FOLLOW THE LINE NORTH. HOWEVER, ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN, HE SAW THAT IF HE CONTINUED, THE TURN WOULD TAKE HIM OVER A FARMYARD AND CATTLE. HE REVERSED THE TURN BACK TO THE LEFT, TOWARD THE EAST. AS HE ROLLED OUT OF THE LEFT TURN GOING DOWNWARD, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. HE ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND THE PLANE CRASHED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,905 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 15,555 as pilot in command; 11,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,623 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Le Mars IA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Le Mars IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.