Piper PA-28-161 accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota, December 3, 2001
On December 3, 2001 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N248ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota (Devils Lake Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff phase of a touch and go landing. Factors associated with the accident were the student's lack of total experience and the runway light which the airplane contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2001 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Devils Lake, North Dakota · Devils Lake Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N248ND · no longer on the register · serial 2842058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted a runway light with the left wing following a loss of directional control during the takeoff phase of a touch and go landing. The student pilot reported the airplane touched down 1/3 (1,800 feet) down the runway during the landing. He reported the airplane veered to the left when he applied power for takeoff. He reported he reduced the power to idle and attempted to stop the airplane, but it continued off the side of the runway where it contacted the runway light. The landing was being made on runway 31. The winds reported at the airport 5 minutes after the accident were from 160 degrees at 11 knots. The pilot reported the winds were from 140 degrees at 10 knots. The student pilot had a total flight time of 31 hours and was on a solo cross-country flight when the accident occurred.
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: student
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,081 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 9, 2001; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 7:00 pm
- Destination: DVL Devils Lake ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,509 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.56 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from DVL
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.
Other NTSB records under N248ND 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.