- Date
- August 6, 1991, 08:11 local (13:11 UTC)
- Place
- Ottumwa, IA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N61568Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910806032069A
- Case key
- 14914
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper IFR procedure by the pilot by not maintaining the proper minimum descent altitude (mda) until established on the ILS localizer and glidepath.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During arrival, the pilot was cleared for an ILS runway 31 approach. As he continued the approach, the airplane descended into trees and the terrain, inside the outer marker, 4.0 miles from the threshold and .19 mile to the left of centerline. Initial impact was on a heading of 356 degrees magnetic at an elevation of 820 feet MSL. The airport elevation was 845 feet MSL. Minimum descent altitude (mda) before reaching the ILS glide slope was 2800 feet; mda for a localizer only approach was 1200 feet. Decision height (if established on the ILS localizer & glidepath) was 1041 feet. Subsequent investigation failed to reveal any mechanical malfunction of the aircraft or significant weather phenomena which would have resulted in the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61568
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17264646
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Exec, Onc.
- Registered owner
- Air Exec, Onc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- K27 · Fort Madison, IA
- Destination
- OTM · Ottumwa, IA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- OTM · Ottumwa Industrial, runway 31, 6,499 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 529 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OTM, 2 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.