Toledo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toledo, Iowa 52342
Monday, November 6, 1989 18:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A SOLO, NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WINDS AND MISTAKENLY ARRIVED AT THE WRONG AIRPORT. SHE TRIED TO ACTIVATE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WITHOUT SUCCESS, THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES ABOUT ONE QUARTER MILE TO THE EAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RWY 35, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED 1.3 HOURS OF NIGHT DUAL INSTRUCTION AND THIS WAS HER FIRST SOLO NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTATED AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT THE WRONG AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION, AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City TOLEDO
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 52342
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TOLEDO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8C5
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 960
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID DSM
Elevation of weather observation facility 957
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1900
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1577
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1855
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40463
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6449M
NTSB Number MKC90LA022
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15284733
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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 GUETZLAFF,ROBERT W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1900 BOURLAND AVE.
Operator City WATERLOO
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 50702
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AMW
Departure City AMES
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MIW
Destination City MARSHALTOWN
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 1873
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --