Piper PA-28-140 accident near Big Falls, Minnesota, July 19, 1985
On July 19, 1985 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5279S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Falls, Minnesota (Big Falls airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- July 19, 1985 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Big Falls, Minnesota · Big Falls · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5279S · no longer on the register · serial 28-26909
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DIVERTED INTO THE BIG FALLS ARPT BECAUSE HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION WAS BELOW VFR MINIMUMS. AFTER CHECKING THE SOD RUNWAY FOR A FIRMNESS & DETERMINING A GO/NO GO POINT, HE SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK OFF USING SOFT FIELD TECHNIQUES. HIS ROTATION WAS WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE DESIGNATED GO/NO GO POINT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY, THE CLIMB PERFORMANCE DETERIORATED TO THE POINT WHERE THE ACFT SETTLED INTO TREES TO THE WEST OF THE AIRFIELD. HE ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF CLIMB PERFORMANCE TO A WIND SHIFT OR WIND SHEAR. THERE WERE 2 PASSENGERS & 35 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED.
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: 162 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,080 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1985; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7Y9 at 12:24 pm
- Destination: INL Int'L Falls MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,602 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from HIB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.