NTSB MKC87LA062 — 1987-03-15 · MASON CITY, Iowa, United States

Current FAA registration · N56285

Make / Model: PIPER PA-32-300
Year of manufacture: 1973 · 14 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19730725
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A731E6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N56285 Piper PA-32-300 None

Factual narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD OBTAINED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING AND AN IFR CLEARANCE FROM GRAND MARAIS, MINNESOTA TO DES MOINES, IOWA PRIOR TO DEPARTURE; AND THAT THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL, EXCEPT FOR STRONGER THAN FORECASTED HEADWINDS ALOFT. ENROUTE, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, HE RECEIVED TWO IN-FLIGHT WX ADVISORIES BUT DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO DSM. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, FORECASTED--AND KNOWN--ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. SEVERAL FAA WEATHER BRIEFING PERSONNEL STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS WARNED OF ICING CONDITIONS ON ALL OF HIS CONTACTS WITH FSS. ONLY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN PICKING UP RIME ICE DID THE PILOT REQUEST VECTORS TO A NEARBY AIRPORT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED NOSE FIRST AS THE PILOT REDUCED POWER OVER THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD--THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED UPON IMPACT, DAMAGING THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE MOUNTS. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF ICE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_MKC87LA062.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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