Piper PA-31-350 accident near Dubuque, Iowa, May 16, 1990
On May 16, 1990 at about 3:50 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N111AY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WEATHER EVALUATION MISJUDGED RESULTING IN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND AIRCRAFT CONTROL 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
- May 16, 1990 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Dubuque, Iowa · Dubuque · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N111AY · no longer on the register · serial 31-8052125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL, DURING A FULL ILS APPROACH, THE ATR RATED PLT SAID THAT HE ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN, EXTREME TURBULENCE, AND A POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR AT ABOUT 600 FEET AGL. HE SAID THAT HE LOST THE LOCALIZER, STARTED A MISSED APPROACH WITH FULL POWER AND A PITCH UP ATTITUDE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ITS DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ABOUT 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,200 hours in all; 1,583 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 7,673 as pilot in command; 4,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,948 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 1989; 179 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 2:40 am
- Destination: DBQ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,498 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from DBQ, 1 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.