Piper PA-23-250 accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, February 16, 1995
On February 16, 1995, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N62711, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul Int. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inadequate windshield deicing system for the inflight icing encountered, airframe icing, and the pilot's inability to maintain a proper descent rate. Factors associated with this accident were an inadequate weather forecast and icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1995
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Minneapolis/St. Paul Int. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N62711 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 14 CFR PART 135 FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED UNFORECAST ICING AS IT APPROACHED ITS ORIGINAL DESTINATION. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE'S WINDSHIELD DEICING PLATE WAS NOT ABLE TO CLEAR THE ICE FROM ITS SURFACE. HE SAID HIS ENTIRE WINDSHIELD WAS ICE COVERED. THE PILOT SAID HE DECIDED TO FLY TO HIS ALTERNATE AIRPORT BECAUSE IT HAS BETTER INSTRUMENT APPROACH FACILITIES. DURING HIS SECOND INSTRUMENT APPROACH, THE PILOT WAS GUIDED TO A LANDING BY FAA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL LOCATED NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE FIRMLY CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AT TOUCHDOWN. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TAXIWAY SIGNS AND RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES OF ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD. SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP, THE WINDSHIELD DEICING PLATE AREA WAS CLEAR. THE UNBOOTED AREAS OF THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS HAD 2 TO 2 1/2 INCHES OF ICE ON THEM.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,126 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 8,295 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,356 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 19, 1995; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ab Flight Services
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 10:30 pm
- Destination: MSP MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11R, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°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.
Other NTSB records under N62711 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.