Piper PA-38-112 accident near River Falls, Wisconsin, July 27, 1989
On July 27, 1989 at about 4:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N25687, was destroyed in an accident near River Falls, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PILOT FOLLOWING AN ABRUPT MANEUVER. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL AVIATION EXPERIENCE WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1989 · about 4:06 pm local time
- Place
- River Falls, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N25687 · registry record · serial 38-81A0054
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT ALL SAW THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP TURNING DESCENT WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL IMPACT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PIC HAD IN HIS POSSESSION A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ISSUED IN 1948. A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK SHOWED A TOTAL OF 39.7 FLIGHT HOURS OF AVIATION EXPERIENCE OVER 40 YEARS. APPROXIMATELY 22 OF THOSE FLIGHT HOURS WERE OBTAINED WHEN HE RESUMED FLYING AFTER A 39 YEAR HIATUS. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION SHOWED NO DEFECTS IN THE AIRPLANE.
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: 60 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,258 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 21, 1989; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 21D Lake Elmo MN at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from STP, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N25687 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI89LA147.