Piper PA-18-150 accident near St. Anthony, North Dakota, May 30, 2023
On May 30, 2023 at about 12:44 pm local time, a 1975 Piper PA-18-150, registered N7343L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near St. Anthony, North Dakota. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low attitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2023 · about 12:44 pm local time
- Place
- St. Anthony, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1975 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7343L · registry record · serial 18-7509049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while conducting wildlife damage management activities under contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he entered a right 180-degree turn in order to reverse direction and position the airplane. The airplane heading prior to the turn was into a slight right quartering headwind and required a climb due to up-sloping terrain. About 160 degrees into the right turn, the right quartering headwind became a left quartering tailwind. The airplane descended and contacted the ground. On contact, the nose of the airplane pitched forward and struck the ground. The airplane then bounced, cartwheeled, and came to rest approximately 105 ft from the initial ground contact, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,939 hours in all; 815 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 3,834 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 21, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,075.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2023; 96.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 1,652 hours total
- Operator: Air Dakota Flite INC
The flight
- Departed from: Y19 Mandan ND at 10:44 am
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 am from KBIS, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBIS 301252Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 15/13 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP091 T01500133
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 17, 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 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Summary | PDF, 12 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.