Piper PA-22-150 accident near Wadena, Minnesota, June 17, 2008
On June 17, 2008 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N697DM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wadena, Minnesota. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the tail wheel airplane during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience in tail wheel airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2008 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wadena, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N697DM · registry record · serial 22-7376
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the landing approach and touchdown were normal until the airplane "veered hard to the left on roll-out." He stated that he applied full right rudder, but the airplane did not respond. He then applied "nominal" right brake pressure at which time the airplane ground looped to the right. The pilot reported that he had just re-qualified to fly a tail dragger. He reported having 3 hours of total time in the same make and model as the accident 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
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 (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,106 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 18,702 as pilot in command; 656 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADC Wadena MN
- Destination: DVL Devils Lake ND
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:33 am from SAZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI08CA167.