Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Benson, Minnesota, July 13, 1986
On July 13, 1986 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N3731T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Benson, Minnesota (Bonson airport). It was a business 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 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 13, 1986 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Benson, Minnesota · Bonson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N3731T · registry record · serial 28R-3009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE RAN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK DRY BEFORE SWITCHING TO THE LEFT TANK IN CRUISE FLIGHT. ON FINAL APPROACH FOR A LANDING THE ENGINE BEGAN TO FALTER AND QUIT RUNNING SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY GEAR UP IN ROUGH TERRAIN AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN EXAMINATION OF BOTH FUEL TANKS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK ONLY. THE FUEL GAGES WERE TESTED AND PROVED TO BE ACCURATE.
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: 280 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,110 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-BIE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K36 Onawa IA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from AXN, 42 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.
Other NTSB records under N3731T 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.