Piper PA-28-161 accident near Princeton, Minnesota, September 13, 2013
On September 13, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N526PU, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Princeton, Minnesota (Princeton Municipal 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
An in-flight collision with a bald eagle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Princeton, Minnesota · Princeton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N526PU · registry record · serial 2841191
- 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 the student pilot was flying S-turns over a road at 1,000 feet above ground level when a bald eagle struck the right horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor took the controls, declared an emergency, and proceeded to land at the nearest airport. The control yoke was “buffeting,” but the engine continued to run smoothly. On final approach, the flight instructor noticed that the rudder controls were impaired; however, the wind was calm so the landing was without incident. The examination of the airplane revealed that there was a large indentation on the right horizontal stabilizer with bird feathers embedded in it. The right side of the horizontal stabilizer was canted. In addition, the tail cone had been pushed upward and was in contact with the rudder, impeding its movement.
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
- Birdstrike during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Horizontal stabilizer › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Rudder › Damaged/degraded
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,420 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 3,134 as pilot in command; 2,981 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 4, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,891 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoiming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Thunderbird Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MIC Crystal MN at 4:30 pm
- Destination: MIC Crystal MN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from PNM, 5 miles away
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.