Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fridley, Minnesota, August 29, 1990
On August 29, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2842D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fridley, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION BECAUSE OF FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS MIS-JUDGED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND A RAILROAD SIGN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fridley, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2842D · registry record · serial 28-7990488
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER OVER 4 HOURS OF CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE ENGINE QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED BETWEEN TWO RAILROAD TRACKS RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A SIGN. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIOIN REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS TO BE EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL.
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: 108 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS Chesterfield MO at 10:55 am
- Destination: MIC Crystal MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N2842D 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.