Fort Dodge Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
Thursday, December 22, 1994 17:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED AFTER PERFORMING A MISSED APPROACH AT THE INTENDED DESTINATION AIRPORT, HE FLEW TO THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AWAY. HE STATED THIS FLIGHT WAS SHORT AND HURRIED, AND 'BEFORE I COULD REMOVE THE APPROACH PLATE AND REVIEW ALL THE INFORMATION...I WAS ALREADY FLYING THE (DME) ARC.' THE PILOT REPORTED WHEN THEY MADE THE TURN ONTO THE LOCALIZER, HE THOUGHT HE WAS ABOVE THE GLIDESLOPE AND INSIDE THE FINAL APPROACH FIX. HE STATED 'I STARTED DOWN AND...STARTED MY TRANSITION BACK TO INSTRUMENTS. THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER WAS HITTING THE GROUND.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ABOUT 6 MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE. THE LOW CEILING AND FOG WERE A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FORT DODGE
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50501
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FORT DODGE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FOD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1157
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1734 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID FOD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1157
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1392
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7JD
NTSB Number CHI95LA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-185
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 27 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3685
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WATT ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13640 WICKER AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CEDAR LAKE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46303
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 3HA
Departure City LANSING
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CIN
Destination City CARROLL
Destination State IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --