Piper PA-30 accident near Bowman, North Dakota, July 21, 2001
On July 21, 2001 at about 5:09 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7382Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowman, North Dakota (Bowman Municipal Airport). It was an air-drop flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Altitude/clearance not obtained by the pilot during the initial climb. Factors relating to the accident were attaining the proper climb rate not being possible, the microburst, the dark night, and the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2001 · about 5:09 am local time
- Place
- Bowman, North Dakota · Bowman Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7382Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-436
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air-drop flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said they were dispatched on a routine cloud-seeding mission at 2250. All flight operations through takeoff were normal. The pilot said that after passing through 50 feet agl, the airplane would not climb. The pilot said he verified power on both engines and airspeed of 120 mph. He brought the gear up and the climb performance improved slightly. The pilot said, "The maximum altitude achieved was just below 3,100 feet msl (100 feet agl), as the rapidly increasing downdrafts from the invisible microburst soon overpowered any climb performance, and quickly pushed the aircraft downward as the VSI (vertical speed indicator) indication transitioned from slightly positive to 150+ fpm (feet per minute) negative." The pilot said the airplane's engines were at maximum power when they struck a tree approximately 1 mile from the departure end of the runway. The pilot said he pitched the nose up in preparation for the ground impact. The airplane broke free of the tree. The pilot said he leveled the wings, lowered the nose slightly to keep his speed up, and reduced the throttles to idle. The airplane touched down about 3 to 5 seconds after their collision with the tree. The pilot said that 1 minute after the crash, heavy rain from a thunderstorm occurred. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. At 2253, the weather reported at Hettinger, North Dakota (HEI), 34 miles east of BPP, was few clouds at 8,000 feet agl, a broken ceiling of 12,000 feet agl, 10 miles visibility with light rain, winds 100 degrees at 9 knots, temperature 74 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 68 degrees F, altimeter 29.80 inches of Mercury, and remarks, lighting in the distance west and northwest, rain began at 2245. At 2301, the weather reported at HEI was scattered clouds at 9,000 feet agl, a broken ceiling of 12,000 feet agl, 10 miles visibility with light thunderstorms and rain, winds 330 variable 030 at 8 knots, and remarks, lighting in the distance west to north, thunderstorms began at 2255. At 2322, the weather reported at HEI was 3,500 scattered, 10,000 broken, 12,000 overcast, 10 miles visibility with light thunderstorms and rain, winds 030 degrees at 32 knots, gusts to 41 knots, and remarks, peak wind 030 degrees at 41 knots recorded at 2317, wind shift at 2302, lightning in the distance all quadrants.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 480 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 370 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 422 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 174 as pilot in command; 19 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,712 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 2001; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOD Bowman ND at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from HEI, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.