Cessna 172 accident near Bemidji, Minnesota, November 2, 1991
On November 2, 1991, a Cessna 172, registered N8283E, was destroyed in an accident near Bemidji, Minnesota (Bemidji Beltrami County airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, THE NON PERFORMANCE O FAN EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AND NOT MAINTAINING A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB ON BEHALF OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S NOT REMOVING ICE FROM THE AIRPLANE, NOT OBTAINING ALTITUDE DURING THE CLIMB, AND NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1991
- Place
- Bemidji, Minnesota · Bemidji Beltrami County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8283E · no longer on the register · serial 17272169
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A SINGLE ENGINED AIRPLANE HAD JUST RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE. THE AIRPLANE PERFORMED AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF AT NIGHT WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS AND BLOWING SNOW. JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION THE PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR DISPLAYING '0'. HE DECIDED TO TAKEOFF BECAUSE HE BELIEVED INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINED FOR AN ABORTED TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT STATED HIS OTHER PRESSURE INSTRUMENTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREE AND TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT'S CENTER. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A SLIGHT TRACE OF ICE WAS ON THE WINGS LEADING EDGE. ONE OF THE TWO STATIC PORTS WAS FOUND WITH ICE BLOCKING IT. THE SECOND STATIC PORT WAS DESTROYED DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THE ALTERNATE STATIC SOURCE SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE 'STANDBY' POSITION. THE PILOT STATED, 'I FIGURED I COULD USE THE ALTERNATE STATIC SOURCE ONCE I WAS UP HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE TREES.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 286 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Thief River Aviation
The flight
- Destination: TVF Thief River Fls MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,598 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 pm from BJI, 2 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.