Piper PA-18-150 accident near Rosemount, Minnesota, August 5, 1998
On August 5, 1998, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9396D, was destroyed in an accident near Rosemount, Minnesota (Jensen Airfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to water-contaminated fuel and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1998
- Place
- Rosemount, Minnesota · Jensen Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9396D · registry record · serial 18-6673
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported that the pilot and second pilot were practicing touch and goes for approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident. A witness reported observing the airplane climbing out from runway 27 at about 300 to 500 feet agl. He reported it appeared to do a wing rock to the right, and then the airplane's wings leveled momentarily. The left wing and nose dropped to the left and the airplane went straight down. The blade underneath the engine exhibited leading edge damage and chordwise scratching on the front and back of the blade. The propeller dome exhibited some rotational and torque signatures. The examination of the aircraft revealed continuity through the engine drive train and flight controls. Fuel samples were taken from the left wing. The fuel was tested and it indicated that one sample was contaminated with water.
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: 123 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,821 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1997; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-329-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI98FA300.