Piper PA-44-180 accident near Dickinson, North Dakota, November 26, 1994
On November 26, 1994 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N2127D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dickinson, North Dakota (Dickinson Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) MISJUDGED THE FLARE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER (ICING) CONDITION, STRUCTURAL ICE, WINDSHIELD ICE, DARKNESS, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES FOR THE PILOT TO LAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1994 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Dickinson, North Dakota · Dickinson Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2127D · registry record · serial 44-7995131
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A FLIGHT AT NIGHT, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE ICE ON THE STRUCTURE AND ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED AN ALTITUDE CHANGE AND DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. THE WINDSHIELD BECAME COVERED WITH ICE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE INSTRUCTOR LANDING THE AIRPLANE BY USING THE INSTRUMENTS AND BY LOOKING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW. A HARD LANDING OCCURRED WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 677 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 553 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,723 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 17, 1994; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,816 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CTB Cutbank MT at 8:30 pm
- Destination: BIS Bismark ND
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 3,405 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from DIK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.