(Ames, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Transportation reports there were 16 aviation accidents with one fatality and one aviation incident in the state of Iowa, from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. That’s a 33% increase from 2022, and the state has averaged 13 accidents over the last five years. The report summary says:

• 10 accidents and zero fatalities occurred during Part 91 (Private aircraft) flight operations; four accidents and one fatality occurred during Part 137 (agricultural) aerial application operations; and one accident occurred during Part 135 (Commercial, On-demand) Non-Scheduled Air Taxi & Commuter operations.
• There was one fatality and two reported injuries (one serious and one minor).
• 14 aircraft sustained substantial damage and one minor damage.
• One pilot held an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, six had a Commercial Pilot’s License, and three had a Private Pilot License appropriate for the Category and Class of aircraft they were operating. Five of the accident reports did not indicate the type of certificate held by the pilot.
• 13 of the 16 accidents were under visual meteorological conditions. Conditions for the other two accidents are not reported.
• 14 flights occurred during daytime and one flight was during nighttime.
• 12 of the aircraft involved airplanes, three were helicopters, and two were not reported.
• Six accidents occurred within the airport environment (Red Oak, Osceola, Sibley, Larchwood, Ankeny, and Council Bluffs).

Fatalities Summary:
One flight involved a single fatality with a helicopter conducting aerial application that impacted wires. The NTSB report indicated that the pilot failed to identify the wires due to possible
distractions. The accident caused substantial damage to the aircraft and the pilot was hospitalized, but later succumbed to injuries.

Summary of Accidents in the Airport Environment:
There were six aviation accidents that occurred within the airport environment from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. Five accidents occurred during the landing phase of the flight and
one during takeoff. Here’s a review of the two southwest Iowa airport accidents officials were made aware of:

– At the Red Oak Municipal Airport, a pilot operating a Cirrus SR22 reported engine problems and diverted to the Red Oak Municipal Airport. Even with repeated warnings from ATC, the pilot landed the aircraft on RW 05 which was closed. The aircraft struck a barricade which resulted in substantial damage. No injuries were reported.
– At the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, a pilot operating a Cessna 182 experienced loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined while sequencing to land. The pilot executed a forced landing in a harvested field near the airport and struck a terrace. This caused substantial damage to the aircraft. No injuries were reported.

Summary of Accidents Off-Airport:
There were 10 aviation accidents and one incident that occurred in 2023 away from the airport environment. Four accidents and one event occurred during the enroute phase of flight. One
accident occurred shortly after takeoff and the pilot was unable to make a return to the airport. Four of the accidents happened at low altitudes while conducting aerial applications under Part
137.

Three crashes occurred in southwest & western Iowa…

• A Cessna Citation 560XL operating under Part 91 near Council Bluffs, IA reportedly struck a bird enroute to Omaha-Eppley Airfield. There was substantial damage to the aircraft and no injuries were reported.
• A pilot operating a Cessna 172G under Part 91 near Neola, IA made a forced landing while enroute from Sac City, IA to Council Bluffs, IA. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and there were no injuries reported.
• A pilot operating a Bell 206B during the day near Denison, IA was conducting an aerial application flight under Part 137 when he failed to see and avoid wires. Upon impacting wires and terrain, the aircraft received substantial damage. The pilot was hospitalized but succumbed to his injuries 18 days later.

Note: This Accident Summary relies on reports from NTSB and FAA which are subject to change. Source of information is from NTSB.gov as of 01/18/2024.