Piper PA-32-301 accident near Storm Lake, Iowa, August 11, 1983
On August 11, 1983 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N84581, was substantially damaged in an accident near Storm Lake, Iowa (Storm Lake Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. 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
- August 11, 1983 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Storm Lake, Iowa · Storm Lake Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N84581 · no longer on the register · serial 32-8206004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY AND COLLAPSED THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR. THE ACFT LANDING ON RWY 35 WITH THE WIND FROM THE NORTHEAST AT 7 TO 10 KTS. THE PILOT SAID THE ACFT TURNED LEFT AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND SHE CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER, THEN THE ACFT TURNED RIGHT. AS THE PILOT TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL THE ACFT SWERVED LEFT AND RIGHT AGAIN ANDRAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH 3 RWY LIGHTS AND THE RIGHT GEAR BROKE OFF. NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE NOTED WHICH WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 153 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 182 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1982; 182 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from 3SE, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.