Piper PA-28-140 accident near Mora, Minnesota, April 10, 1999
On April 10, 1999 at about 12:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5416S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mora, Minnesota (Mora Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's improper soft field takeoff technique in that excessive back pressure was used which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush. A factor associated with the accident was the student's lack of total experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1999 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- Mora, Minnesota · Mora Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5416S · registry record · serial 28-7125114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was performing a soft field takeoff on runway 35 when the accident occurred. He stated he was 99% sure that he applied 20 degrees of flaps for the takeoff. He then held the yoke back and applied full power. He reported he felt the nose lifting and he '...failed to keep it from going too high and felt the back end raise.' He stated the airplane got out of ground effect without enough airspeed to remain airborne. The airplane stalled/mushed into a wooded area off the left side of the runway. The student reported the local winds were from 010 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots.
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: student
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,602 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1999; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JMR at 12:15 pm
- Destination: JMR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.