Charles City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charles City, Iowa 50616
Monday, November 11, 1991 19:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING HIS IFR FLIGHT THE ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT TWO INCHES OF RIME ICE ON THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS AND HAD LOST ABOUT 15 KNOTS AIRSPEED. HE ESTABLISHED THE ACFT ON THE LOCALIZER FOR THE APPROACH AND WHEN HE WAS 1.9 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT AND 500 FEET AGL HE REDUCED HIS AIRSPEED TO 100 KNOTS AND LOWERED THE GEAR. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE TERRAIN ABOUT 800 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PROPER GLIDE PATH NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PREMATURE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION AND INADEQUATE AIRSPEED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHARLES CITY
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50616
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHARLES CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CCY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1130
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1815 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID ALO
Elevation of weather observation facility 873
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 510
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44979
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9161P
NTSB Number CHI92LA026
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-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4649
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CULBERT AERONAUTICS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 306
Operator City CHARLES CITY
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 50616
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OTG
Departure City WORTHINGTON
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --