Piper PA28R-200 and Cessna 177RG mid-air collision near Lakeville, Minnesota, December 1, 1991
On December 1, 1991 at about 9:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA28R-200 (N2072T) and Cessna 177RG (N52762), were involved in a mid-air collision near Lakeville, Minnesota (Air Lakes airport). 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FACT THAT BOTH PILOTS DID NOT MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM EACH OTHER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE AN INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT FOR BOTH PILOTS AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE WAS NOT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES.
THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM EACH OTHER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE AN INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1991 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeville, Minnesota · Air Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA28R-200 · all PA28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2072T · registry record · serial 28R-7135016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N52762 · no longer on the register · serial 1266
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA28R-200 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A LOW WING, SINGLE ENGINE, AIRPLANE WAS TAKING A FLIGHT TEST FOR A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE PILOT STATED HE ANNOUNCED HIS POSITION ON EACH LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN; THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE PILOT EXAMINER. DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON TOP OF A HIGH WING, SINGLE ENGINE, AIRPLANE. BOTH OCCUPANTS OF THE LOW WING AIRPLANE STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE OR HEAR RADIO CALLS FROM THE HIGH WING AIRPLANE. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT BOTH AIRPLANES WERE WHITE IN OVERALL COLOR WITH DARK TRIM. THE TERRAIN THEY WERE OPERATING OVER WAS SOW COVERED. THE HIGH WING AIRPLANE TO THE RUNWAY THE LOW WING AIRPLANE WAS INTENDING TO LAND ON.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 177RG final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A HIGH WING, SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING A PUBLISHED ILS APPROACH AS GUIDANCE TO A RUNWAY HE INTENDED TO LAND ON. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ANNOUNCED HIS POSITION THREE TIMES DURING THE APPROACH. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HEARD THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE ANNOUNCE HIS POSITION ON BASE LEG FOR THE SAME RUNWAY HE WAS INTENDING TO LAND ON. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE OTHER AIRPLANE AND DID NOT ASK THE PILOT OF THAT AIRPLANE TO RE-STATE HIS POSITION. HE CONTINUED INBOUND AND, DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING, A LOW WING AIRPLANE LANDED ON TOP OF HIS AIRPLANE. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH AIRPLANES WERE WHITE IN OVERALL COLOR WITH DARK TRIM. THE TERRAIN BOTH AIRPLANES WERE OPERATING OVER WAS SNOW COVERED.
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 for the Piper PA28R-200 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 410 hours in all; 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,098 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:51 pm from MSP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 177RG from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 61 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1991; 264 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Lakes Aero INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C32 Mineral Piont WI at 7:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,098 ft by 75 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.