Piper PA-34-200 accident near Rush City, Minnesota, September 23, 2025
On September 23, 2025 at about 5:10 am local time, a 1977 Piper PA-34-200, registered N14SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Rush City, Minnesota (Rush City Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly monitor the airplane glide path which resulted in the inadvertent descent below the approach minimum descent altitude and the impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2025 · about 5:10 am local time
- Place
- Rush City, Minnesota · Rush City Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200, built 1977 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N14SS · registry record · serial 34-7770385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the flight was conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The initial portion of the flight was in visual meteorological conditions. However, as the flight neared the intended destination airport, the weather conditions had deteriorated and an instrument approach was required. While on the final approach segment, the airplane drifted left of course. As the pilot was correcting and looking for the runway, he did not notice the airplane had descended below the minimum descent altitude. He initiated a missed approach but was unable to avoid trees in the airplane flight path. Since the runway was not in sight, he decided to divert to a nearby airport with visual conditions. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and stabilator from the tree impact. The pilot stated there were no failures or malfunctions related to the airplane before the accident.
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 approach (IFR missed approach)
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 789 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 730 as pilot in command; 211 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 3, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,806 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 2025; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental LTSIO360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKV Ankeny IA at 2:49 am
- Destination: ROS Rush City MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 4,401 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots, gusting 1
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
Weather report (METAR): METAR KROS 230515Z AUTO 02003KT 3/4SM BR OVC002 14/13 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 CEN25LA400.