Piper PA-32-260 accident near Leon, Iowa, August 22, 1989
On August 22, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N8AG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leon, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
BLOCKAGE OF THE ENGINE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM BY A FIELD MOUSE NEST. THE NEST WAS POSITIONED SO THAT IT COULD NOT BE SEEN DURING THE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION. IT BECAME DISLODGED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON THE ROUGH RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leon, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8AG · no longer on the register · serial 32-7200008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 150 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. UNABLE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT, AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND SERIOUS AND MINOR INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE'S AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM WAS PLUGGED WITH A FIELD MOUSE NEST, CAUSING ALMOST COMPLETE RESTRICTION OF THE ENGINE'S AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM. THERE WAS NO WAY TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE RESTRICTION DURING THE PREFLIGHT DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE NEST. THE PLT SAID THE PRE-TAKEOFF RUNUP WAS SATISFACTORY, BUT HE THOUGHT THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ON THE ROUGH PRIVATE STRIP, THE NEST BECAME DISLODGED AND WAS DRAWN FARTHER UP THE INDUCTION SYSTEM AND CARBURETOR CAUSING THE LOSS OF POWER.
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: 650 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 477 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,107 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1989; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Leon IA at 6:29 pm
- Destination: AWG Washington IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:55 pm from FOD, 80 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.
Other NTSB records under N8AG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.