Piper PA-28-235 accident near Worthington, Minnesota, August 25, 1985
On August 25, 1985 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8571W, was destroyed in an accident near Worthington, Minnesota (Worthington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- August 25, 1985 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Worthington, Minnesota · Worthington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8571W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20083
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD PROGREESED 16 MILES ON A 95 MILE X-COUNTRY FLT WHEN IT WAS WITNESSED IN LOW FLT OVER A CORN FLD. THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 200 FT AGL WHEN IT ENTERED A DESCENDING RIGHT POWER ON TURN UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. AN AUTOPSY REPORT ON THE PLT DISCLOSED, 'ATHEROSCLEROTIC CORONARY VASCULAR DISEASE, MODERATE TO FOCALLY SEVERE' WAS PRESENT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 687 hours in all; 123 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,573 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1985; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D03 Sibley IA at 2:50 pm
- Destination: MKT Mankato MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; not recorded at 900 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from FSD, 52 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.