Piper PA28-161 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, October 3, 2007
On October 3, 2007 at about 5:06 pm local time, a Piper PA28-161, registered N437ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota. 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 lack of experience and the excessive taxi speed by the pilot. A contributing factors was the airport sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2007 · about 5:06 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-161 · all PA28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N437ND · registry record · serial 2842214
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot, on his first solo flight, reported that the tower controller requested the pilot turn on exit A2. The pilot reported that while he tried to comply with tower's request, the airplane was still at 20-30 knots airspeed when he attempted the turn. The aircraft went off the runway into the grass and impacted the runway hold short sign with the left wing. There were no injuries. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction.
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: 16 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,191 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,247 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Destination: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KGFK
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.