Piper PA-28-161 accident near Warren, Minnesota, February 13, 1996
On February 13, 1996 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N145ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warren, Minnesota (Warren airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the dual student's failure to maintain a proper glidepath and inadequate supervision by the instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1996 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Warren, Minnesota · Warren · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N145ND · no longer on the register · serial 2841226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor said the student was having difficulty understanding how to use the rudder when making crosswind landings. The aircraft hit a snow bank approximately 40 yards short of runway 30, coming to rest approximately 20 yards from the end of the runway. The instructor said the focus on proper rudder usage probably diverted her attention.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 485 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 324 as pilot in command; 203 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,666 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 7, 1996; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,332 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFK Grand Forks ND at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,205 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from GFK, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.