Piper PA32 accident near Windom, MN
On December 6, 2020, a Piper PA32 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Windom, MN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 6, 2020
- Place
- Windom, MN
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 43.956°N, 95.117°W
- NTSB ID
- 20201206102378
Official records · CEN21LA075
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 6, 2020, about 0625 central standard time, a Piper PA32 airplane, N8178Y, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Windom, Minnesota. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to video at Windom Municipal Airport (MWM), which was not equipped with a control tower, the pilot taxied to runway 35 about 0606. The pilot entered the runway, then exited and taxied back to the runway hold short line. According to air traffic control (ATC) recordings, the pilot activated his previously filed instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and obtained an IFR clearance that included a climb to 7,000 ft mean sea level (msl) and a right turn direct to Warren County Memorial Airport (RNC), McMinnville, North Carolina. According to radar data, the airplane departed runway 35 about 0621 and made multiple turns starting at 0623:24. The last ATC radar data was recorded at 0625:12 near the accident site, which was about 2.5 miles north of Runway 35. (see figure 1). The radar returns did not include the airplane’s altitude. No radio communications from the pilot were received by ATC. Figure 1. Radar Data of Accident Airplane’s Flight Track PERSONNEL INFORMATIONReview of the pilot’s logbook revealed that his initial flight in the accident airplane occurred on August 29, 2019. The last instrument approach flown was recorded by the pilot on June 29, 2020, which was the only instrument approach recorded during the 6 months preceding the accident. METEOROLOGICAL
Probable cause
The pilot’s spatial disorientation shortly after takeoff into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with terrain.
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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.
