Piper PA-28-140 accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota, July 31, 1991
On July 31, 1991 at about 3:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N55924, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota (Maple Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1991 · about 3:08 pm local time
- Place
- Maple Lake, Minnesota · Maple Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55924 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325531
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT SAID THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST AND FELT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY LEFT TO SAFELY STOP. HE INITIATED AN ABORTED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH THEN ROLLED INVERTED.
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: student
- Flight time: 44 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAZ Staplesmn MN at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 2,796 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:45 pm from HCD, 30 miles away
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.
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.