Piper PA-28-180 accident near Erhard, MN
On March 10, 2001, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Erhard, MN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 10, 2001
- Place
- Erhard, MN
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 46.480°N, 96.089°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010314X00582
Official records · CHI01FA100
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 9, 2001, at 2003 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N55893, operated by a private pilot was destroyed when it impacted into a cornfield 1-1/2 miles northwest of Erhard, Minnesota. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The ferry flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated at Detroit Lakes (DTL), Minnesota, at 1940, and was en route to Fergus Falls (FFM), Minnesota. The owner of the airplane said that he and the pilot had flown to DTL in the airplane so that the owner could pick up another airplane and ferry it back to FFM. The owner said the flight to DTL was uneventful. At DTL, they checked the weather for the return flight. The automatic weather observing/reporting system (AWOS) at FFM was reporting a ceiling of 800 feet overcast and 7 miles visibility. The owner took off in a Piper Seneca before the pilot took off. The owner said that he heard the pilot departing DTL on his airplane radio. En route to FFM, the pilot contacted the owner and inquired if the owner got off okay. The owner responded that everything was working. The pilot then said, "You must be close to Fergus [Falls]". The owner said that he was 11 miles from FFM at that time. The owner said he landed right at 2000. While taxiing to the ramp, the owner said he tried to call the pilot on the airplane's radio. There was no response. The owner parked his airplane and went into the fixed base operator (FBO) to contact the pilot on the FBO ra
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors relating to the accident were the pilot's encounter with known adverse weather conditions, the low ceiling, the pilot disregarding the weather observation information obtained prior to the flight, and the pilot's lack of instrument experience.
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Browse: Minnesota · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
