Piper PA-30 accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 13, 1986
On November 13, 1986 at about 1:38 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7668Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Minneapolis - St Paul airport). It was a business 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
- November 13, 1986 · about 1:38 am local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Minneapolis - St Paul · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7668Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-745
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FLEW FOR AN HOUR TRYING TO GET THE GEAR EXTENDED, BUT WAS UNABLE. AFTER MAKING A GEAR UP LANDING, AN EXAM REVEALED THE CENTERING CAM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE NOSE GEAR WAS BENT AND BROKEN. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE GEAR TO JAM AND NOT EXTEND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,599 hours in all; 6,703 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 7,525 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,572 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKG Muskegon MI at 2:50 am
- Destination: MSP
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29R, 8,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 290° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 23,000 ft
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from MSP
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.