Piper PA-28-161 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, September 5, 2001
On September 5, 2001 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N240ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Grand Forks Intl 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 student pilot's improper flare, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2001 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Grand Forks Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N240ND · no longer on the register · serial 2842049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain and objects during an attempted go around. The instructor and dual student pilot sustained no injuries. The instructor pilot reported, "Add all power for go-around. Aircraft pitch was high ... . On trying to maintain control I lossed control causing left wheel to take out runway lights and touchdown and somehow hit right [ailerons]. Came to full stop between taxiways C-1 [and] C-2. [Wrecking] nose wheel, propeller, [and] [aileron]." The instructor reported no mechanical malfunction or failure. The wind was 180 degrees at 16 knots. The student pilot stated, "We approached the runway and as we came down I flared to land[.] I flared too much and we [ballooned] up." The instructor's safety recommendation stated, "Initiate go around procedure sooner."
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 408 hours in all; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 164 as pilot in command; 63 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 4, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,552.7 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 16, 2001; 49.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,447 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 2:13 pm from GFK
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.