Piper PA-44-180 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, August 2, 2012
On August 2, 2012 at about 4:45 am local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N586ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing 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 loss of directional control during landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion. The reason for the loss of directional control could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2012 · about 4:45 am 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-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N586ND · no longer on the register · serial 4496281
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student and the instructor pilot were conducting a night local training flight. Upon return from the practice area, with the student at the controls, the airplane entered a right downwind for a full stop landing. The landing gear was confirmed down and locked verbally by the student and instructor. The final approach was uneventful, but the touchdown point was long, and the airspeed was fast. Because of the extra speed on landing, the instructor elected to continue to the next runway exit beyond the one he planned to use. The student had initially applied the brakes evenly for the planned runway exit, but the instructor told him to continue to the next exit and to release the brakes to continue without stopping on the active runway. As the student released the brakes, the airplane began to yaw abruptly to the right. The student said that he was not applying any right brake pressure and that the instructor was not on the brakes. Both the instructor and the student added left rudder and left brake pressure in an attempt to maintain directional control and to keep the airplane on the runway. They said that they did not have enough control authority to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane continued to the right, turned into the grass, and the left main gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane’s flight controls, landing gear system, and brake system did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunction or preaccident abnormalities. A review of maintenance activity on the airplane revealed two work orders related to the brake system. On November 28, 2011, both brake discs and linings were replaced. On December 13, 2011, the airplane was inspected because the right brake was reportedely sticking intermittently during takeoff roll and taxi. The student and instructor did not state that there was any crosswind while landing. The reason for the loss of control could not be determined.
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
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Malfunction
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 957 hours in all; 189 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 736 as pilot in command; 654 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 30, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,148 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360-A1H6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 2:50 am
- Destination: GFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,351 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from GFK
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.