Piper PA-32-300 accident near Pierz, Minnesota, September 30, 2024
On September 30, 2024 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1978 Piper PA-32-300, registered N2032M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pierz, Minnesota. 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 pilot’s inadequate fuel management which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2024 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pierz, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300, built 1978 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2032M · registry record · serial 32-7840077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that once reaching cruising altitude, he switched the fuel selector to the right wing tip fuel tank. About 10 to 15 minutes later, the engine lost partial power. The pilot turned on the fuel pump, but he did not switch fuel tanks. The engine continued to lose power; the pilot declared an emergency and diverted to the nearest airport. Unable to reach the nearest airport, the pilot conducted a forced landing to a roadway. During the landing, the airplane veered left into the ditch to avoid oncoming motor vehicle traffic. The right wing struck a roadway sign, which resulted in substantial damage, and the airplane came to rest upright in the grass. The pilot stated that he did not switch fuel tanks during the initial loss of engine power, and that he ran the right wing tip fuel tank dry.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground vehicle › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 288 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,587 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2024; 91.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 3,587 hours total
- Operator: Kab Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 9Y2 East Gull Lake MN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: FCM Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KLXL, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLXL 301855Z AUTO 21010G14KT 10SM CLR 25/12 A2978 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 10, 2025. 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 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | 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 N2032M 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.