Cessna 172 accident near Ames, Iowa, April 29, 1990
On April 29, 1990 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8472X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ames, Iowa (Ames airport). 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
THE WRONG RUNWAY WAS SELECTED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1990 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Ames, Iowa · Ames · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8472X · no longer on the register · serial 17248972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION APT, WITH STRONG, GUSTY, SOUTHEAST SURFACE WINDS REPORTED, THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PVT PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 31. UNABLE TO LAND, THE PILOT RETURNED AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 19. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST ON THE ROLL OUT, AND THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, INJURING THE PLT AND PAX AND SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.
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: 78 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 28 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,904 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1989; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C77 Belvidere IL at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 3,747 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from DSM, 20 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.
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.