Piper PA-28-140 accident near Moorhead, Minnesota, September 30, 2002
On September 30, 2002 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9714W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moorhead, Minnesota (Moorhead Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate fuel management by the certified flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2002 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Moorhead, Minnesota · Moorhead Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9714W · no longer on the register · serial 28-23190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructional flight sustained substantial damage during a forced landing approximately 20 feet short of the intended landing runway. The certified flight instructor (CFI) noted twice for the need to switch fuel tanks before the accident. During the final approach segment of the flight, the airplane was configured with an idle power setting and 10 degrees of flaps. While on final approach, the throttle was advanced from its idle setting no engine power was noted. Examination of the fuel system revealed the left fuel tank was empty. The right fuel tank contained usable fuel. The airplane was not equipped with shoulder harnesses due its certification basis. The CFI received minor facial injuries, and the student pilot received serious facial injuries. A supplemental type certificate was available for the installation of shoulder harnesses on the accident make and model 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,115 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 217 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 1,060 as pilot in command; 189 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,700 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 04Y Hawley MN at 1:45 am
- Destination: JKJ Moorehead MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from FAR, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N9714W 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.