Piper PA-28-235 accident near Leon, Iowa, November 6, 1988
On November 6, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9246W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leon, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- November 6, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Leon, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9246W · registry record · serial 28-10916
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING ABOUT 3000 FEET AGL DURING A PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE HAD A COMPLETE POWER FAILURE. A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LDG WAS MADE ON A FARM HAY FIELD WITH NO DAMAGE INCURRED. SHORTLY AFTER THE LDG, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A FIRE HAD ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BEFORE THE LOCAL FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BURNED-THROUGH AREA ON THE EXHAUST MUFFLER NEAR THE CARBURETOR. THE HEAT FROM THE BURNED-THROUGH AREA WAS DIRECTED ON THE CARBURETOR CAUSING FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FIRE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 464 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 327 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,886 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1988; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VER Boonville MO at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from DSM, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.