# NTSB CHI97LA113: Cessna 185, N4641E, Pella, IA, April 24, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 24, 1997, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Pella, IA
- Coordinates: 41.400032, -92.909545 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4000&lon=-92.9095&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 30, 1997
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 10551
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI97LA113
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10551/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA113

## Probable cause

the pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for the landing.  A factor relating to the accident was: the soft landing surface of the farm strip.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose over, landing - roll
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - soft (contributing factor)
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The pilot landed the airplane on a farm airstrip that had been plowed and rolled. The pilot used 30 degrees of flaps for landing, and was landing the airplane to the west. During the landing roll-out, the airplane's wheels sank into the dirt, and the airplane flipped over on its back. The pilot reported that even with full up elevator input applied, he could not stop the airplane from nosing over.

## Factual narrative

On April 24, 1997, at 0900 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 185, N4641E, sustained substantial damage when the airplane flipped over during landing near Pella, Iowa.  The pilot was attempting to land on a private airstrip at a farm when the accident occurred.  The commercial rated pilot was uninjured in the accident.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the 14 CFR Part 91 flight and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight.

The pilot was attempting to land the airplane on a plowed field which had been rolled.  Before attempting to land at the airstrip the pilot reported that he and the owner of the aircraft walked and drove on the landing area.  The pilot reported that he was landing the airplane to the west using 30 degrees of flaps.  During the landing roll the pilot reported that the airplane's wheels began to drag heavily, and the airplane flipped over on its back.  The pilot said during a telephone conversation after the accident, that even with full up elevator input applied he was unable to stop the airplane from flipping over.  The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane or its engine.

The airplane's left wing skin, left wing spar and propeller were bent.  The vertical stabilizer and rudder were crushed.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N4641E (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 185
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18503825
- Airframe hours: 1763
- Engines: Continental IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Gary Vermeer
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 1997, 1 hours before
- Departed: PEA, IA
- Airport: Farm Airstrip

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,493 total, 136 in this make and model, 3,319 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 55 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19970424006599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970424006599A), Apr 24, 1997: Cessna A185F, Pella, IA, Substantial damage. Aircraft flipped over after landing in a farm field.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.