Piper PA-28-140 accident near Grand Marais, Minnesota, July 14, 1990
On July 14, 1990 at about 12:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6146W, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Marais, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO HIS IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: PILOT FATIGUE DUE TO LACK OF SLEEP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1990 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Marais, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6146W · registry record · serial 2820165
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
CAMPING COMPANIONS OBSERVED THE PLT & 2 PASSENGERS AWAKE & DRINKING BEER BETWEEN 0200 & 0300 CDT. ANOTHER PLT RPRTD THEY WERE AT THE AIRPORT, PREPARING FOR A FLT AT ABOUT 0630 CDT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA ON HILLY TERRAIN. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND AT 1930 CDT ON 7/15/90 BY A HELICOPTER SEARCH CREW. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD ENTERED THE TREES WHILE DSCNDG IN A NEAR 90 DEG BANK. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS, BUT THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. ALSO, NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS VERIFIED. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD, VITREOUS FLUID & URINE SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 0.068%, 0.1% & 0.13% (68, 100 & 130 MG/DL), RESPECTIVELY.
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: 220 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 179 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,994 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1989; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 58Y Silver Bay MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from YQT, 60 miles away
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.