Piper PA-32-300 accident near Princeton, Minnesota, May 27, 2022
On May 27, 2022 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-32-300, registered N2899N, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain proper approach glide path, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2022 · about 8:30 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-32-300, built 1979 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2899N · registry record · serial 32-7940193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and flight instructor were conducting a flight review. During the attempted short-field landing, the pilot slowed the airplane to 70 kts, about 10 kts slower than usual, and planned to make a “shallower than normal final approach.” While on short final, the airplane descended too low, and the airplane collided with a small tree. The airplane subsequently veered left, landed short of the runway, and impacted several taxiway lights, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that he let the airplane get too low and slow on final approach.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,132 hours in all; 463 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 835 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 23, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: July 13, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,468.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2022; 10.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 7,730 hours total
- Operator: Tailwinds Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: MIC Minneapolis MN at 8:09 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KPNM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2022. 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, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.