Piper PA-28-181 accident near What Cheer, Iowa, September 16, 1985
On September 16, 1985, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8262U, was substantially damaged in an accident near What Cheer, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- September 16, 1985
- Place
- What Cheer, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8262U · registry record · serial 28-8190036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING THROUGH THE TOP OF A TREE, THEN THROUGH A FOUR STRAND HIGH VOLTAGE PWR LINE. FINAL IMPACT WAS RELATIVELY FLAT IN A SOY-BEAN FIELD. THE PLT LATER STATED THAT HE HAD BECOME DISORIENTED IN FLT AND HALLUCINATED THAT HE WAS IN A PIPER J-3 ACFT INSTEAD OF A PIPER ARCHER. HE SAID HE MUST HAVE LOST CONTROL AS HE REMEMBERED NOTHING MORE UNTIL HE FELT THE ACFT CRASHING. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES FLYING THRU THE TOPS OF SOME SMALL TREES AND CONTINUING ON THRU A SMALL PWR LINE BEFORE MAKING A 'PAN-CAKE' LANDING IN AN OPEN SOYBEAN FLD WHERE IT SLID ON IT'S BELLY FOR 120 FT BEFORE STOPPING. THE ACFT WAS RELATIVELY INTACT AND THE ENG RAN WHEN TESTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE BATTERY HAD COME LOOSE FROM IT'S MOUNTING BOX IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND ENDED UP IN THE RIGHT FRONT COCKPIT ON THE FLOOR. THE PLT WAS FOUND WALKING OUTSIDE THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD A SPRAINED ANKLE AND LACERATIONS ON HIS HEAD. THE PLT ALSO HAD A HISTORY OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS.
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: 157 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 83 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,014 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 1985; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 11:23 pm
- Destination: IOW Iowa City IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.