Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spencer Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Spencer, Iowa 51301
Saturday, November 29, 1997 9:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot made four missed ILS approaches at the airport. He stated that he did not see the approach lights during any of the approaches and did not feel comfortable making a landing. The reported visibility during these approaches was 1/2-statute mile. On the fifth approach the pilot said he had '...mistaken closely inline cars and a road for the MALSR and runway.' He pilot stated the airplane continued to descend after initiating a go-around. He said he saw on-coming traffic in front of him, and turned the airplane to the right. He said he lost altitude and the right wing struck the ground. The pilot's employers operations specification require a 1/4-mile increase in visibility for an ILS approach that does not have an operating approach lighting system. The approach lights were checked by the airport manager and were confirmed to be in working order. An on-scene investigation revealed no pre-accident airframe or engine anomalies that would have prevented normal flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot failure to comply with the prescribed IFR procedure and his not following his company's operations specifications. Low clouds and fog were are contributing factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/29/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | SPENCER |
| Event State | IOWA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 51301 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | SPENCER MUNICIPAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SPW |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Unknown |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 300 |
| Airport Elevation | 1339 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SPW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1339 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| 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) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | FAA |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1713 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 29 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1201 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N22NC |
| NTSB Number | CHI98LA050 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 402B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 402B |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 402B0227 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6300 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 19 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 52 |
| Airframe Hours | 7998 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DWYER AIRCRAFT |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 239 |
| Aircraft Owner City | MASON CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | IA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 50401 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CID |
| Departure City | CEDAR RAPIDS |
| Departure State | IA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 640 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SPW |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| 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 | 12 |
| Runway Length | 6000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |