Piper PA-28-161 accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 12, 2011
On February 12, 2011 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N536PU, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Crystal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2011 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Crystal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N536PU · registry record · serial 2841321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane’s engine started to run rough upon takeoff and that he had trouble gaining altitude. He returned to the airport and performed a landing with the rough-running engine. After landing, the airplane veered to the left, the main landing gear impacted a snowbank, and the airplane impacted a runway light. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies with the airframe. According to the operator, the accident engine was torn down and no anomalies were found. The airport's temperature and dew point were plotted on a carburetor icing chart and their intersection fell in the “serious icing (cruise power)” range.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,730.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Metro Aircraft CO
The flight
- Departed from: MIC Minneapolis MN at 7:50 pm
- Destination: MIC Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14L, 3,263 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,600 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MIC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.