Piper PA-25-260 accident near Trenton, North Dakota, October 24, 1992
On October 24, 1992 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-260, registered N8675L, was destroyed in an accident near Trenton, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1992 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Trenton, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-260 · all PA-25-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8675L · no longer on the register · serial 25-5084
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS REPORTED THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SERIES OF LOW PASSES OVER A FARM HOUSE, PULLING UP AND CHANGING DIRECTION BETWEEN EACH PASS. HE STATED THE PILOT '...DISPENSED SOME SORT OF SMOKE...' DURING THE PASSES. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A SMALL TREE DURING A LOW PASS. WITNESSES STATED ON ABOUT THE FIFTH LOW PASS, THE AIRPLANE PULLED UP IN A STEEP BANK TURN, THEN PITCHED DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. A POSTIMPACT GROUND FIRE ENSUED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: 889 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 826 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1991; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Jamestown Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: JMS Jamestown ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ISN, 300 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.