Piper PA28-140 accident near Rush City, Minnesota, July 5, 2004
On July 5, 2004 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N55930, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rush City, Minnesota (Rush City Regional airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions which led to his loss of aircraft control. Factors were the wind gusts, the ditch, and the fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2004 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Rush City, Minnesota · Rush City Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55930 · registry record · serial 28-7325534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it went off the left side of runway 34 and struck a ditch and a fence. The pilot reported that just before touchdown, the airplane was blown left of the runway centerline and he decided to execute a go-around. He said that as he added power, the airplane touched down and was pulled to the left and off of the runway. He stated that he cut the power and went through a ditch and a barbed wire fence before coming to rest. The winds were recorded as: 360 degrees magnetic at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 168 hours in all; 56 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KROS Rush City MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from KROS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.