Piper PA28 accident near Faribault, Minnesota, April 22, 2021
On April 22, 2021 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 2017 Piper PA28, registered N7114C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Faribault, Minnesota (Fairbault Muni 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain control during takeoff in gusty wind conditions and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in the airplane colliding with trees and subsequently the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2021 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Faribault, Minnesota · Fairbault Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 181, built 2017 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N7114C · registry record · serial 2843913
- 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, while the student pilot was conducting his fourth takeoff during his first flight lesson, the airplane encountered a wind gust and entered a “sharp” left turn toward a tree line. The flight instructor took control of the airplane, verified the throttle was at full power, and adjusted the airplane’s pitch for best angle of climb airspeed. He thought the airplane had cleared the trees; however, the aft fuselage or empennage struck some branches causing the airplane to lose airspeed. The airplane entered a descent and impacted a field on the other side of the tree line. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and the fuselage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the student pilot was taking off on runway 30 with wind from 270o at 11 knots with gusts to 15 knots.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 710 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 648 as pilot in command; 342 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 890.2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 24, 2021; 48.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 938 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,257 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FCM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 8, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statements | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7114C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.