Piper PA-28-161 accident near New Ulm, Minnesota, November 6, 2001
On November 6, 2001 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N523PU, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Ulm, Minnesota (New Ulm Muni 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 and flight instructor not using all of the available runway, the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor and the unsuccessful remedial action by the flight instructor. The student not attaining the proper touchdown point and the plowed field were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2001 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Ulm, Minnesota · New Ulm Muni · 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
- N523PU · registry record · serial 2841188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it overran the runway while landing. Airplane was piloted by a certified flight instructor (CFI) and student. The dual student held a private pilot certificate. In a written report, the CFI said that he and his student were performing a simulated engine failure to runway 22 at ULM. He said that, "...upon reaching final we were high. In my [judgment] however we had room to stop safely. Upon touchdown I applied [brakes], and realized that we were slipping on the grass, and would not be able to stop. So I added full power with one notch of flaps for a short field takeoff. As the end of the runway approached I knew that we would not have enough airspeed to takeoff. Therefore I closed the throttle and applied full [brakes] as we went into the plowed field off the end of [runway] 22." During an interview , the CFI told the inspector that he took control of the airplane at the touchdown. In his written report, the CFI indicated no mechanical malfunction of the airplane and no anomalies were found during a postaccident examination of the airplane.
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
Flight instructor
- 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: 328 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 255 as pilot in command; 24 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 205 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 156 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 6, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,686 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 2001; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKT Mankato MN at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,825 ft by 160 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:58 pm from ULM
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.
Other NTSB records under N523PU the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.