Mason City Muni. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mason City, Iowa 50401
Sunday, March 15, 1987 19:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD OBTAINED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING AND AN IFR CLEARANCE FROM GRAND MARAIS, MINNESOTA TO DES MOINES, IOWA PRIOR TO DEPARTURE; AND THAT THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL, EXCEPT FOR STRONGER THAN FORECASTED HEADWINDS ALOFT. ENROUTE, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, HE RECEIVED TWO IN-FLIGHT WX ADVISORIES BUT DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO DSM. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, FORECASTED--AND KNOWN--ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. SEVERAL FAA WEATHER BRIEFING PERSONNEL STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS WARNED OF ICING CONDITIONS ON ALL OF HIS CONTACTS WITH FSS. ONLY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN PICKING UP RIME ICE DID THE PILOT REQUEST VECTORS TO A NEARBY AIRPORT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED NOSE FIRST AS THE PILOT REDUCED POWER OVER THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD--THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED UPON IMPACT, DAMAGING THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE MOUNTS. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF ICE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MASON CITY
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50401
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MASON CITY MUNI.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MCW
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 1213
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1924 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MCW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1310
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34667
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:00PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56285
NTSB Number MKC87LA062
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-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7340168
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 10 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3338
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R.C. AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6605 STRATFORD CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City OMAHA
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68137
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 GRM
Departure City GRAND MARAIS
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1640
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DSM
Destination City DES MOINES
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 12
Runway Length 5502
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --