Piper PA 28-181 accident near Rock Lake, North Dakota, December 1, 2013
On December 1, 2013, a Piper PA 28-181, registered N6780F, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Rock Lake, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noninstrument-rated pilot’s failure to obtain weather briefings immediately before and during the flight and his continued flight into icing conditions, which resulted in the airplane’s loss of performance and the subsequent controlled descent into trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2013
- Place
- Rock Lake, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-181 181 · all PA 28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N6780F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noninstrument-rated private pilot obtained a computerized weather briefing about 9 hours before he departed on a night cross-country flight. At that time, neither ice nor low visibility conditions were forecast along his intended flight route. The pilot did not obtain any additional weather information before takeoff or while en route. Weather conditions at the time of departure were marginal visual meteorological conditions, and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were forecast along the route of flight. The weather conditions were also conducive to the accumulation of structural icing. The pilot reported that, about 2 hours into the flight, the airplane entered IMC. He stated that he looked out at the wing and saw that "frost" had started to build up. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude, so the pilot added power and focused on maintaining level flight at a safe airspeed as the airplane continued to descend until it impacted trees and the ground. The airplane came to rest on its left side in an ice-covered field and sustained substantial damage to both wings, all three landing gear, and the right horizontal stabilizer.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute
- Structural icing during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 2, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,215 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0360 E286 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KINL Inter. Falls MN at 10:26 pm
- Destination: D09 Bottineau ND
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.