Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, May 14, 2011
On May 14, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N204ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Grand Forks International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the landing, which resulted in an inadequate flare and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Grand Forks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N204ND · registry record · serial 2844070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that his student was practicing a simulated forced landing to a runway when the accident occurred. He stated that, after a firm touchdown, the airplane began to veer to the right. He noted that the right wing was lower than the left wing and his initial thought was that the right tire was flat. After coming to a stop, the airplane would not move forward without an excessive application of engine power. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear had collapsed rearward, with substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Examination of the right main landing gear did not reveal any preimpact anomalies or failures that would have prevented normal operation. Interviews of recent flight crews did not reveal any hard landings that could have damaged the right main landing gear before the accident flight.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,553 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 163 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 1,349 as pilot in command; 1,269 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 205 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 59 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,682 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 13, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Departed from: KGFK Grand Forks ND at 6:00 pm
- Destination: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 7,349 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KGFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.