Piper PA-22 accident near Enderlin, North Dakota, May 13, 2024
On May 13, 2024 at about 3:07 pm local time, a 1951 Piper PA-22, registered N669A, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Enderlin, North Dakota (Enderlin Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly inspect and sump the fuel system before the flight and the maintenance personnel’s inadequate maintenance of the fuel system which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power due to the contamination of the right tank fuel gascolator and fuel lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2024 · about 3:07 pm local time
- Place
- Enderlin, North Dakota · Enderlin Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22, built 1951 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N669A · registry record · serial 22-71
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff about 200 ft above ground level (agl), the engine started to run rough. The pilot turned on the carburetor heat and there was a slight improvement in engine performance, but then the engine lost all power. The pilot made an off-airport landing. Upon touchdown, the nosewheel dug into the ground and the airplane flipped inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, rudder, and engine mount. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the fuel system revealed that the gascolator and bowl for the right tank rear fuel line were full of sediment and debris. Additionally, the fuel lines going to and coming out of the gascolator contained the same deposits that were found in the fuel bowl. The airplane owner said that he assumed the strainer that was under the right front seat was part of the brake system. He was unaware that it was a quick drain gascolator for the right fuel tank and he never sumped that drain. It could not be determined when maintenance personnel last inspected the gascolator. The pilot reported that she flew a total of about 1 hour before the loss of power occurred and had been operating solely on the right fuel tank. Each fuel tank held 18 gallons of fuel and operated independently of each other depending on fuel selector valve selection. Fuel consumption was between 4.5 to 11 gallons per hour, so it is possible there was only about 7 gallons of fuel remaining in the right fuel tank. Although the owner’s handbook cautioned that operating solely on the right fuel tank should only be done if operating in straight and level flight and when the right fuel tank is at 1/3 capacity or lower, the right fuel tank likely contained more than 1/3 its capacity. The sediment and debris clogging the gascolator filter bowl and fuel lines for the right tank’s rear fuel line likely prevented fuel from flowing freely to the engine, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Roll over during landing
- Fuel contamination during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 834 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7.7 in the last 30 days; 745 as pilot in command; 361 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,067 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 23, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O--320-A2B (piston); 4,067 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,855 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from KGWR, 25 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGWR 131455Z AUTO 03008G13KT 10SM CLR 12/04 A2993
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA184.