Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Minnesota 55943
Sunday, August 22, 1982 11:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM WEST BEND, WI TO WASECA, MN. REPORTEDLY, THE CEILING WAS 2500 TO 3000 FT OR BETTER (AS BRIEFED) UNTIL AFTER CROSSING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE WEATHER THEN BEGAN TO DETERIORATE AND THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE FLEW INTO A MISTY CONDITION THAT OBSCURED HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY. HE FOUND HIMSELF IN A VALLEY WITH THE SURROUNDING HILLTOPS "NEARLY OBSCURED" AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A HARVESTED FIELD. A DOWNWIND LANDING WAS MADE TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS AT THE WINDWARD END OF THE FIELD. AFTER ROUNDOUT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLOAT, AND WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF ROOM, HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HE APPLIED POWER AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS FROM FULL DOWN TO FULL UP, BUT THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY TO CLIMB AND ACCELERATE WERE NEGLIGIBLE. TO AVOID HITTING TREES, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN A RIVER NEAR THE END OF THE FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55943
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 Moderate
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) 2364
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
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 N8601C
NTSB Number CHI82DA320
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22
Aircraft Serial Number 22-1283
Certified Max Gross Weight 1850
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 53
Airframe Hours 1737
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROLF E. IVERSON LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 213 N. STATE STREET
Aircraft Owner City WASECA
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROLF E. IVERSON LTD.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 213 N. STATE STREET
Operator City WASECA
Operator State MN
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
Departure City WEST BEND
Departure State WI
Departure Country
Departure Time 745
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City WASECA
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --