Piper PA-28-180 accident near Sheldon, Iowa, May 4, 1984
On May 4, 1984 at about 3:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N3761R, was destroyed in an accident near Sheldon, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- May 4, 1984 · about 3:51 pm local time
- Place
- Sheldon, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3761R · registry record · serial 28-5816
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 1015 CDT, WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT RADIOED A FSS & REQUESTED THE KANSAS CITY WX. VMC CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AT KANSAS CITY, BUT THE PLT WAS INFORMED OF AN AIRMET, WHICH PROVIDE A CAUTION OF LOW CEILINGS & REDUCE VISIBILITIES ACROSS HIS ROUTE OF FLT. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE REPORT & CONTINUED HIS FLT TOWARD KANSAS CITY. AT ABOUT 1051 CDT, GROUND WITNESSES HEARD A SNAP OR BOOM NOISE WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A HIGH PITCH SOUND OF THE ACFT'S ENG. THEY THEN OBSERVED THE ACFT SPIN OR ROLL OUT OF THE OVERCAST SKY AT AN ESTIMATED 1500 TO 2000 FT AGL. THEY SAID THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SPIN OR ROLL UNTIL IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED LIGHT RAIN WAS FALLING. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT BOTH OUTER WING PANELS HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. THEY WERE LOCATED 3116 & 2376 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD ONLY 5 HRS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PREFLT WX BRIEFING.
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: 637 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 574 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1984; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DXX Madison MN
- Destination: MKC Kansas City MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:57 am from SPW, 31 miles away
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.