Casualties unknown

1997-04-24: Cessna 185 (N4641E) — Pella, IA

Pella, IA, US

On April 24, 1997, a Cessna 185 (registration N4641E) was involved in an aviation accident near Pella, IA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that his airplane nosed over during landing on a plowed and rolled farm airstrip after the wheels sank into the dirt.

Accident Description

The accident involved a landing on a farm airstrip that had been recently plowed and rolled. The pilot configured the airplane with 30 degrees of flaps for the approach and landing. The landing was made to the west.

During the landing roll-out, the airplane's wheels penetrated the soft surface of the plowed and rolled dirt. This caused the nose of the airplane to pitch forward, resulting in the airplane flipping onto its back. The pilot reported that, despite applying full up elevator input, he was unable to prevent the nose-over.

Pilot Actions

The pilot had selected 30 degrees of flaps for the landing. He reported that after touchdown, the wheels sank into the dirt, and even with full up elevator applied, the airplane continued to nose over. The airplane came to rest inverted on the airstrip.

No further details about the aircraft or injuries were provided in the source.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X07691. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.