Todd Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ankeny, Iowa 50021
Monday, March 26, 1990 16:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PVT PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD JUST DEPARTED RUNWAY 35 AND HAD TURNED CROSSWIND, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. HE MADE A TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP AND LAND ON RUNWAY 17, BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER, COMPLETELY. UNABLE TO REACH THE PVT AIRSTRIP, AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A FALLOW CORN FIELD, WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL CONTAMINATION AND INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ANKENY
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50021
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TODD FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Y42
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 964
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID DSM
Elevation of weather observation facility 957
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
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 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) 135
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40706
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2254J
NTSB Number MKC90LA075
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 150-65454
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 3856
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TODD'S FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2699 NE 110 AVE
Aircraft Owner City ANKENY
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50021
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TODD'S FLYING SERVICE INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2699 N.E. 110 AVE
Operator City ANKENY
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 50021
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code Y42
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1640
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 0Y7
Destination City LAMONI
Destination State IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 17
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --