Cessna 401A accident near Minot, North Dakota, February 24, 1994
On February 24, 1994 at about 3:49 pm local time, a Cessna 401A, registered N4071Q, was destroyed in an accident near Minot, North Dakota (Minot International airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE DURING A MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WEATHER AND SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1994 · about 3:49 pm local time
- Place
- Minot, North Dakota · Minot International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401A · all 401As on the register
- Registration
- N4071Q · no longer on the register · serial 401A-0115
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PUBLIC USE FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES. IT DEPARTED VFR FROM DEVIL'S LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF ROLLA, NORTH DAKOTA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TWO VISUAL APPROACHES AT ROLLA, BUT ENCOUNTERED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS DUE TO A SNOW STORM. HE OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE & DIVERTED TO MINOT. HE FLEW TWO ILS APPROACHES TO RUNWAY 31 AT MINOT & REPORTED A MISSED APPROACH AFTER EACH. RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST AFTER THE SECOND APPROACH. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, A SNOW PLOW OPERATOR FOUND WRECKAGE ON THE AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLANE HAD IMPACTED TO THE RIGHT OF RUNWAY 31 WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED & THE FLAPS EXTENDED 15 DEG. THE 0959 WEATHER WAS IN PART: 600' OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1/2 MILE VARIABLE IN SNOW, WIND 110 DEG AT 11 KTS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINES.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,380 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 5,210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,220 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 11, 1993; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Dept Of Health & Human Sv
The flight
- Departed from: DVL Devil'S Lake ND at 2:00 pm
- Destination: MOT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 7,493 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:59 pm from MOT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.