Piper PA-24-250 accident near Davenport, Iowa, July 3, 1986
On July 3, 1986 at about 7:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6FF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davenport, Iowa (Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- July 3, 1986 · about 7:03 pm local time
- Place
- Davenport, Iowa · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6FF · no longer on the register · serial 24-1582
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT FLOWN SINCE 1980 AND WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION TO BECOME CURRENT AND WAS TO RECEIVE A BFR ON THIS TRIP ALSO. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN REBUILT AFTER A FORCED LANDING AND ALSO HAD JUST RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN DELIVERED BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL ON THIS FLIGHT UNTIL THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS PLACED TO EXTEND. WHEN THE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND, A GO-AROUND WAS MADE AND GEAR WAS EXTENEDED AFTER THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE PUSHED IN. ON TURN TO FINAL, THE ENGINE QUIT AND AIRPLANE MADE A FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. INSPECTION REVEALED TANKS EMPTY, TANKS COLLAPSED UPWARD TO THE EXTENT THE FUEL QUANTITY SENDERS WERE INDICATING THERE WAS STILL FUEL IN TANKS. INSECTS WERE FOUND IN PLUGGED FUEL TANK VENTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,581 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IG5 Medina OH at 3:06 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.