Piper PA-30 accident near Duluth, Minnesota, July 8, 2000
On July 8, 2000 at about 6:33 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7213Y, was destroyed in an accident near Duluth, Minnesota (Duluth International Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of control in flight for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2000 · about 6:33 pm local time
- Place
- Duluth, Minnesota · Duluth International Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7213Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The personal flight departed from the Duluth International Airport (DLH), Duluth, Minnesota. en route to the Thunder Bay Airport, Ontario Canada. A ceiling of 100 feet agl and a visibility of 1/4 sm in fog were reported at the time of the accident. The airplane took off from runway 09, turned to a heading of 005 degrees, and climbed to an altitude of 2,700 feet msl. Approximately two minutes after issuing the takeoff clearance, the tower controller instructed the pilot to contact departure control. Four seconds later, "13Y contacting departure" was transmitted on the departure frequency. Four seconds after that, "13Y" was transmitted. Departure control attempted several times to contact the airplane, but there was no response. DLH radar showed that approximately forty seconds into the flight, the airplane turned to a heading of 065 degrees and began a gradual descent to 2,500 feet msl. Twenty seconds later, the airplane climbed to 3,400 feet msl and then began a left descending turn which continued until radar contact was lost at 3,000 feet msl. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. The pilot logged 6.4 hours of instrument time since his receipt of a multi-engine instrument rating on March 24, 1999. The pilot received a third class medical certificate under a special issuance for a history of myocardial infarction. Federal Aviation Administration toxicology testing revealed the presence of verapamil, a prescription blood pressure medication.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 318 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 228 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,796 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2000; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DLH at 6:30 pm
- Destination: YQT Thunder Bay
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 10,152 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 133°F (56°C), dew point 133°F (56°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from DLH, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.