Ames Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ames, Iowa 50010
Sunday, April 29, 1990 8:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON ARRIVING AT HIS DESTINATION APT, WITH STRONG, GUSTY, SOUTHEAST SURFACE WINDS REPORTED, THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PVT PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 31. UNABLE TO LAND, THE PILOT RETURNED AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 19. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST ON THE ROLL OUT, AND THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, INJURING THE PLT AND PAX AND SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE WRONG RUNWAY WAS SELECTED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 835
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City AMES
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50010
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AMES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AMW
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 947
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Central Daylight 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?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 849
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42024
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8472X
NTSB Number MKC90LA098
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17248972
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 4904
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NIEMAN, ROBERT K.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1145 N. ALPINE RD
Operator City ROCKFORD
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 61107
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 C77
Departure City BELVIDERE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 19
Runway Length 3747
Runway Width 160
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --