Piper PA-36-285 accident near Saint Vincent, Minnesota, June 30, 2000
On June 30, 2000 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-285, registered N11A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Vincent, Minnesota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 failure of the engine reduction gear assembly. Factors were the low altitude when the failure occurred and the crops.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2000 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Vincent, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-285 · all PA-36-285s on the register
- Registration
- N11A · registry record · serial 36-7560117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning to the airport when the engine failed. A subsequent landing in a wheat field resulted. The pilot said, "After pulling out of field I felt an abnormal vibration, I pulled the throttle back 100 rpm and it seemed OK. After only approximately 1/2 mile the engine shook violently and quit." The aircraft was powered by a Continental 6-285 "Tiara" geared engine. A postaccident examination revealed that the prop driver gear shaft on the engine was protruding out of the front of the engine approximately one inch further than normal. The engine could not be rotated by hand. No other engine or airframe anomalies were detected that could be associated with a preexisting condition.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,582 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2000; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental 6-285-CA2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PMB Pembina ND at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 151°F (66°C), dew point 135°F (57°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from GFK, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI00LA211.