Piper PA-38-112 accident near Faribault, Minnesota, November 10, 1991
On November 10, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9296T, was involved in an accident near Faribault, Minnesota (Faribault Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURES AND THE PASSENGER'S INATTENTIVENESS. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE PILOT'S LACK OF SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Faribault, Minnesota · Faribault Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9296T · no longer on the register · serial 78A0335
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HE AND A FRIEND WERE PREPARING THE PILOT'S AIRPLANE FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DUG OUT OF A SNOW DRIFT. THE AIRPLANE'S BATTERY WAS TOO WEAK TO START THE ENGINE, AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO JUMP START THE AIRPLANE USING HIS CAR BATTERY. THE PILOT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO START THE ENGINE AND THE (INTENDED) PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE AUTOMOBILE. ONCE THE AIRPLANE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER EMERGED FROM THE CAR, AND WAS STRUCK IN THE LEFT ARM BY THE PROPELLER AS HE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 410 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FBL
- Destination: FBL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°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.