Piper PA-22-160 accident near Mankato, Minnesota, May 21, 1991
On May 21, 1991 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N2906Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO AN UNLOCKED ENGINE PRIMER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THAT THE PRE TAKEOFF CHECK LIST WAS NOT FOLLOWED BY THE PILOT AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1991 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mankato, Minnesota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N2906Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-6877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED IN A FARM FIELD WHICH RESULTED IN A NOSE OVER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAULTY ENGINE PRIMER LOCK. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUN UP AND THE PRIMER BECAME UNLOCKED, THE ENGINE RPM WOULD DROP, WHICH CONINCIDED WITH THE PILOT'S STATEMENT.
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: 105 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKT Mankato MN at 7:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:55 pm from MKT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.