Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lakerville, Minnesota, February 21, 1982
On February 21, 1982 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1GF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakerville, Minnesota (Airlake Industrial airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1982 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lakerville, Minnesota · Airlake Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1GF · registry record · serial 21153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON DOWNWIND, THE PILOT MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS THE LEFT TANK POSITION. HE ALSO MOVED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE. HE EXTENDED HIS PATTERN TO ALLOW TIME FOR ANOTHER PILOT TO BACK-TAXI DOWN THE RUNWAY TO THE RUN-UP AREA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT ELECTED TO GO-AROUND; HOWEVER, WHEN HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, THERE WAS NO ENGINE RESPONSE. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A FENCE ON LEVEL, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. THIS OCCURRED DURING TOUCHDOWN ABOUT 30 YARDS BEFORE THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITION PLATE WAS LOOSE AND HAD ROTATED 180 DEGREES. THE INTENDED LEFT TANK POSITION WAS ALIGNED WITH THE "OFF" DETENT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,582 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 3,079 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,074 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y12 Lakerville MN at 2:50 pm
- Destination: Y12 Lakerville MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.