Piper PA-28-181 accident near Oxford, Iowa, September 7, 1985
On September 7, 1985 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N9557K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxford, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 7, 1985 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Oxford, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N9557K · registry record · serial 28-769026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG QUIT ABRUPTLY WHILE THE ACFT WAS CRUISING AT 3,500 FEET. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH STANDING CORN DURING THE NIGHT FORCED LANDING. AFTER THE ACDT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND ON THE LT FUEL TANK, THE LT TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RT FUEL TANK WAS FULL. THE PLT SAID BOTH TANKS WERE FULL BEFORE TAKEOFF AND THE MIXTURE WAS AT FULL RICH DURING THE ENTIRE 1 HR, 50 MIN FLT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 307 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 168 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,730 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1985; 34 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: MKT Mankato MN at 11:25 pm
- Destination: IOW Iowa City IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.