Piper PA-28-161 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, May 29, 2008
On May 29, 2008 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N220ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) 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 student pilot's failure to maintained directional control during the aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's total lack of experience in the type of airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2008 · about 3:00 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 PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N220ND · no longer on the register · serial 2842109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot completed a solo cross country flight and was landing at the destination airport when the airplane began to yaw "abruptly" to the left during roll out on runway 17 (3,900 feet by 75 feet, dry concrete). The winds were from 140 at 13 knots. The student pilot then attempted an aborted landing, but the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and impacted terrain. Substantial damage to the airplane included: buckled right wing spars, bent firewall, fuselage damage below the left windshield and side window, buckled empennage, and bent horizontal stabilizer.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 123 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND
- Destination: GFK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from GFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.