- Date
- August 22, 1989, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Leon, IA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8AGPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890822031269A
- Case key
- 34853
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
Blockage of the engine air induction system by a field mouse nest. The nest was positioned so that it could not be seen during the pre-flight inspection. It became dislodged during the takeoff roll on the rough runway.
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
The pilot said that shortly after takeoff at about 150 feet AGL, the engine began to lose power. Unable to sustain flight, an emergency ldg was attempted which resulted in substantial damage and serious and minor injuries to the occupants. Post accident investigation revealed the engine's air induction system was plugged with a field mouse nest, causing almost complete restriction of the engine's air induction system. There was no way to visually identify the restriction during the preflight due to the location of the nest. The plt said the pre-takeoff runup was satisfactory, but he thought that during the takeoff on the rough private strip, the nest became dislodged and was drawn farther up the induction system and carburetor causing the loss of power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8AG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-7200008
- Airframe hours
- 3,107
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Miller, Lring V.
- Registered owner
- Miller, Loring V
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 13, 1989 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Leon, IA
- Destination
- AWG · Washington, IA
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 49 in this make and model · 477 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F
- Observed at
- FOD, 80 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.