Piper PA-22-150 accident near Eldora, Iowa, April 21, 1990
On April 21, 1990 at about 3:10 am local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N1680P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eldora, Iowa (Eldora airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS DURING THE APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE AIRCRAFT'S LOW FUEL LEVEL, DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG AIRPORT/RUNWAY, THE RUNWAY LIGHTS NOT OPERATING, AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (TRANSMISSION LINES).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1990 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Eldora, Iowa · Eldora · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N1680P · no longer on the register · serial 22-2466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP, THE PILOT NOTED THE FUEL LEVEL WAS GETTING LOW, SO HE ATTEMPTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON AN UNLIGHTED TURF AIRPORT. HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS BY USING THE ACFT'S TRANSMITTER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE HAD SELECTED THE WRONG AIRPORT; SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS ALSO USING THE WRONG RADIO FREQUENCY FOR THAT AIRPORT. DURING FINAL APPROACH TO WHERE HE THOUGHT THE AIRPORT WAS LOCATED, THE ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT AND TWO PSGRS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES; THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: 137 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,070 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONL O'Neill NE
- Destination: ALO Waterloo IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,753 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from DSM, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.