Piper PA-38-112 accident near Tracy, Minnesota, July 23, 2001
On July 23, 2001 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N23475, was destroyed in an accident near Tracy, Minnesota (Tracy Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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
The inadvertent stall during the initial takeoff. Factors relating to the accident were the student pilot's premature lift-off of the airplane during the initial takeoff, the instructor pilot's inadequate supervision, and the fences.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2001 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Tracy, Minnesota · Tracy 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-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N23475 · no longer on the register · serial 38-8140142
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot said he was conducting a biennial flight review for the dual student. The instructor pilot said the student held back pressure during the initial takeoff to get the nose wheel off of the runway. He said he noted the airspeed as approximately 50 to 55 knots indicated. The student pilot started to get the main gear off the runway, but the airspeed was still low. The instructor pilot said he allowed the student pilot to increase back pressure on the yoke. The instructor pilot said this stalled the airplane and increased the sink rate. The airplane hit the ground on the south end of the runway. It struck a fence and stopped in a soybean field. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 379 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 379 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 332 hours in all; 332 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,021 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2001; 70.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y68 Tracy MN at 1:30 am
- Destination: MML Marshall MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,918 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from MML, 16 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.