Piper PA-28-140 accident near Thief Rvr Falls, Minnesota, March 31, 1996
On March 31, 1996 at about 9:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5932U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thief Rvr Falls, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A ruptured oil line, which resulted in oil exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1996 · about 9:58 pm local time
- Place
- Thief Rvr Falls, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5932U · registry record · serial 28-7125143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that as he was departing north from the airport, he 'noticed a puff of smoke.' He headed back to the airport. While en route to the airport, the engine began to run rough, then quit. The pilot elected to force land the airplane on a road. When he determined that he would not reach the road, he turned to land the airplane in an adjacent field. On approach to the field, the airplane struck an electrical wire. The airplane subsequently impacted on the field and came to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed that an oil line running from oil cooler to the engine case had ruptured near the back of the engine.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 261 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 261 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1995; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVF at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from TVF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N5932U 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.