Piper PA 28-140 accident near Beach, North Dakota, August 2, 2014
On August 2, 2014, a 1964 Piper PA 28-140, registered N6257W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Beach, North Dakota (Beach airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to initiate a go-around sooner, and his failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2014
- Place
- Beach, North Dakota · Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140, built 1964 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6257W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot said he was on final approach for landing on runway 12 when he encountered a crosswind from the northeast. He corrected for the crosswind and proceeded to land. The airplane ballooned, touched down again and pulled to the right. The student pilot applied full power in an attempt to abort the landing. The airplane went off the right side of the runway, became airborne, and struck a large hay bale.
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 control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 52 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 29, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,001 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 27, 2013; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-E2A (piston); 2,001 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7K5 Kenmere ND at 10:45 pm
- Destination: 20U Beach ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 4,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KGDV, 54 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.