Piper PA-31-350 accident near Marshall, Minnesota, December 27, 2005
On December 27, 2005 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N711HG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marshall, Minnesota. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power in both engines while on approach due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations leading to him refueling the outboard tanks only.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2005 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Marshall, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N711HG · no longer on the register · serial 31-8052110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The twin-engine airplane on a non-scheduled domestic passenger repositioning flight, sustained substantial damage on impact with snow covered terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power from both engines on approach. The outboards tanks were the only tanks requested by the pilot to be refuled prior to departure. An on-scene examination revealed that the airplane's tanks exhibited no fuel. No pre-impact anomalies were detected with 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
Crew member
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,868 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 203 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 1,757 as pilot in command; 815 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Midwest Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GUY Guymon OK at 11:30 pm
- Destination: MML Marshall MN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 am from MML, 5 miles away
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.
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.