Piper PA-28-161 accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota, March 19, 2023
On March 19, 2023 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1986 Piper PA-28-161, registered N9088D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Maple Lake, Minnesota (Maple Lake Muni-Bill Mavencamp airport). It was a personal 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 maintain directional control during landing with a gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2023 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Maple Lake, Minnesota · Maple Lake Muni-Bill Mavencamp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161, built 1986 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9088D · registry record · serial 28-8616049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that during landing the airplane “dipped steeply to the right” due to a gusting wind. The student pilot corrected for the dip by applying left aileron and power before touching down on the ice-covered runway. After touchdown, the airplane skidded to the left with the nose pointed to the right and departed the runway. Upon departing the runway, the nose landing gear dug into the snow which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot 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 landing with an 80° right crosswind at 9 knots gusting to 14 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 on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 74 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Metro Aircraft CO
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN
- Destination: MGG Maple Lake MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,796 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KMGG
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMGG 191715Z AUTO 18009G14KT 10SM CLR M04/M14 A3009 RMK AO2 T10401141=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 27, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | 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.