Piper PA-28-161 accident near New Ulm, Minnesota, August 24, 2008
On August 24, 2008 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N523PU, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near New Ulm, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of airport personnel to correct a hazardous condition on the airport. A factor was the uncovered manhole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2008 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Ulm, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N523PU · registry record · serial 2841188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airport manager stated that following the accident, he contacted the company that had been working in the hole, and was told that the cover was too heavy for one person to lift which is why it was not placed back over the hole. The pilot reported that after landing he was taxiing into a tie down spot on the ramp when the left main gear dropped into an open manhole in the grass near the edge of the ramp. He stated that because the tie down spaces are so close to the edge of the ramp, he had to taxi into the grass in order to make the turn into the tie down space. He did not see the hole prior to contacting it, nor was the open hole marked in any way. The airport manager stated the manhole cover was a concrete, 150 pound, 4 foot by 4 foot by 3 inch high lid that covered the hole containing the electrical junction box for the fuel pumps. He stated that the fuel company and a local electric company had worked in the manhole several weeks prior to the accident. He stated he assumed they replaced the cover over the hole when they were finished with the work, but the cover was still on the grass next to the hole. The cover and the hole were not visible from the ramp due to the grass. The airport manager stated that one of the airport line personnel had seen the cover off of the hole, but did not report it to him or anyone else.
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
- Airport occurrence during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Hidden/submerged object › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Airport personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 151 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 87 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Thunderbird Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N523PU the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.