Piper J-3 accident near Saint Leo, Minnesota, July 20, 1991
On July 20, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper J-3, registered N1402N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Leo, 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 conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PERFORMANCE DATA WAS MISJUDGED RESULTING IN A POSITIVE CLIMB NOT BEING ATTAINED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Leo, Minnesota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3 · all J-3s on the register
- Registration
- N1402N · registry record · serial 22926
- 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 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A CUT OAT FARM FIELD, THE ACFT FAILED TO ATTAIN A POSITIVE CLIMB. THE ACFT STRUCK A DIRT EMBANKMENT, LOST FLYING SPEED, AND SETTLED INTO A CORN FIELD.
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: 142 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 115 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1991; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MML Marshall MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.