Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheldon, Iowa 51201
Friday, May 4, 1984 10:51 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT ABOUT 1015 CDT, WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT RADIOED A FSS & REQUESTED THE KANSAS CITY WX. VMC CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AT KANSAS CITY, BUT THE PLT WAS INFORMED OF AN AIRMET, WHICH PROVIDE A CAUTION OF LOW CEILINGS & REDUCE VISIBILITIES ACROSS HIS ROUTE OF FLT. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE REPORT & CONTINUED HIS FLT TOWARD KANSAS CITY. AT ABOUT 1051 CDT, GROUND WITNESSES HEARD A SNAP OR BOOM NOISE WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A HIGH PITCH SOUND OF THE ACFT'S ENG. THEY THEN OBSERVED THE ACFT SPIN OR ROLL OUT OF THE OVERCAST SKY AT AN ESTIMATED 1500 TO 2000 FT AGL. THEY SAID THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SPIN OR ROLL UNTIL IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED LIGHT RAIN WAS FALLING. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT BOTH OUTER WING PANELS HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. THEY WERE LOCATED 3116 & 2376 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD ONLY 5 HRS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PREFLT WX BRIEFING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/4/1984
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1051
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SHELDON
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 51201
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1057
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SPW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1335
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 826
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24543
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3761R
NTSB Number MKC84FA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-5816
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Mar 10 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3325
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT D. STAMP
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR3
Aircraft Owner City MADISON
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56256
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 DXX
Departure City MADISON
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDI
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MKC
Destination City KANSAS CITY
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --