Piper PA-22-125 accident near Mapleton, Minnesota, July 16, 2013
On July 16, 2013 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-125, registered N663A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Mapleton, Minnesota. It was a personal 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 total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, which resulted in the pilot's forced landing to unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2013 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mapleton, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-125 · all PA-22-125s on the register
- Registration
- N663A · no longer on the register · serial 22-66
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said the airplane's engine started "sputtering" then lost total power. He made a forced landing in a corn field, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that he performed a thorough preflight inspection of the airplane, during which he drained fuel from all three fuel sumps, and he found no evidence of water or sediment contamination. However, postaccident examination of fuel samples taken from both the left and right wing fuel tanks and from the gascolator fuel line revealed a substantial amount of water. The investigation revealed that the airplane had been parked outside and there had been recent heavy rains in the area.
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
- Fuel contamination during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,126 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,082 as pilot in command; 801 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 30, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,972 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 2012; 282 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O290D (piston); 2,972 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 68Y Wells MN at 9:45 pm
- Destination: KMKT Mankato MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.