Piper PA-28-151 accident near Delft, Minnesota, August 10, 1987
On August 10, 1987 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N4935F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delft, Minnesota (Bartsch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- August 10, 1987 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Delft, Minnesota · Bartsch
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N4935F · registry record · serial 28-7715083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LOADED CLOSE TO ITS GROSS WT LIMIT & THE PLT ATMTD TO TAKEOFF ON A 2160 FT STRIP, USING SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF TECHNIQUES. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE FOR A SHORT TIME, HOWEVER, IT BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PLT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT WENT THRU A FENCE & INTO A BEAN FIELD. THE PLT RPRTED THE TEMP WAS 88 DEG & THE WIND WAS FROM 130 DEG AT ZERO TO 5 KTS. ABOUT 35 MI NORTH AT REDWOOD FALLS, MN, THE 1350 CDT WIND WAS FROM 130 DEG AT 14 KTS.
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: 88 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,998 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1987; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MKT Mankato MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,160 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from RWF, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.