Piper PA-18 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, October 22, 1994
On October 22, 1994 at about 6:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N587PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the fatigue failure of the crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1994 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N587PA · registry record · serial 1809033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE EN ROUTE BACK TO THEIR HOME BASE AFTER PRACTICING LANDINGS AT A LOCAL AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES FROM THEIR DESTINATION, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PROPELLER BECAME UNATTACHED AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A FIELD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD COMPLETELY FRACTURED. EXAMINATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT REVEALED A FATIGUE FAILURE INITIATING FROM AN OIL TRANSFER TUBE HOLE. THIS ORIGIN HOLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN ENLARGED DIAMETER PORTION ABOVE THE SPECIFIED VALUE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THIS AIRPLANE WAS INVOLVED IN A PROPELLER STRIKE FOUR YEARS AND 1,220 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,833 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command; 320 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,809 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1994; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ND24 Inkster ND at 5:55 pm
- Destination: GFK ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.