Pzl PZL-104 WILGA 35A accident near St. Paul, Minnesota, June 23, 1985
On June 23, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Pzl PZL-104 WILGA 35A, registered N81AS, was destroyed in an accident near St. Paul, Minnesota (So. St. Paul airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- June 23, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Paul, Minnesota · So. St. Paul · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl PZL-104 WILGA 35A PZL-104 WI
- Registration
- N81AS · registry record · serial 86280
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED THE RWY FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF. AT AN ALT OF 50 TO 100 FT AGL AFTER A MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF, THE PLT RAPIDLY RAISED THE FLAPS FROM 44 TO 0 DEGS AND THE ACFT SUDDENLY PITCHED NOSE DOWN. THE PLT ATTEMPTED REMEDIAL ACTION, HOWEVER, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE RWY IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. BOTH PERSONS ON BOARD STATED THEFLT CONTROLS FELT AS IF THEY WERE FROZEN. THE ACFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, CLIMBED TO AN ALT OF APRX 100 FT AGL AND AGAIN PITCHED NOSE DOWN. THE ACFT IMPACTED A SECOND TIME IN A LEFT WING, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,166 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 1,988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 4, 1984; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,706 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ivchenco AI-14RA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: D97 So. St. Paul MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
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.