Piper PA-28-181 N8262U

Summary

On 16 September 1985 at about 00:40 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N8262U, operated by Iowa City Flying Service, was involved in an accident near What Cheer, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

16 September 1985 at 00:40

Classification

Accident

Location

What Cheer, Iowa, United States

Coordinates

41.4008, -92.3498

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N8262U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Iowa City Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Des Moines → Iowa City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MKC85FA217

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING THROUGH THE TOP OF A TREE, THEN THROUGH A FOUR STRAND HIGH VOLTAGE PWR LINE. FINAL IMPACT WAS RELATIVELY FLAT IN A SOY-BEAN FIELD. THE PLT LATER STATED THAT HE HAD BECOME DISORIENTED IN FLT AND HALLUCINATED THAT HE WAS IN A PIPER J-3 ACFT INSTEAD OF A PIPER ARCHER. HE SAID HE MUST HAVE LOST CONTROL AS HE REMEMBERED NOTHING MORE UNTIL HE FELT THE ACFT CRASHING. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES FLYING THRU THE TOPS OF SOME SMALL TREES AND CONTINUING ON THRU A SMALL PWR LINE BEFORE MAKING A 'PAN-CAKE' LANDING IN AN OPEN SOYBEAN FLD WHERE IT SLID ON IT'S BELLY FOR 120 FT BEFORE STOPPING. THE ACFT WAS RELATIVELY INTACT AND THE ENG RAN WHEN TESTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE BATTERY HAD COME LOOSE FROM IT'S MOUNTING BOX IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND ENDED UP IN THE RIGHT FRONT COCKPIT ON THE FLOOR. THE PLT WAS FOUND WALKING OUTSIDE THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD A SPRAINED ANKLE AND LACERATIONS ON HIS HEAD. THE PLT ALSO HAD A HISTORY OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.