Piper PA-25C-235 accident near Upham, North Dakota, August 8, 1983
On August 8, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25C-235, registered N4394Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upham, North Dakota. It was a ferry 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Upham, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25C-235 · all PA-25C-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4394Y · no longer on the register · serial 254906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED SOURIS WITH APRX 17 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND FLEW FOR 1 HOUR AT 500 FEET TO MANDAN, ND. HE DEPARTED MANDAN WITHOUT REFUELING AND FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER. HE HAD FLOWN FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS AT 500 FEET AGL WITH THE FUEL MISTURE LEANED FOR BEST ECONOMY. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT HANDBOOK THE ENGINE WILL CONSUME 15.5 GPH AT 75 PERCENT POWER AND 12.2 GPH AT 60 PERCENT CRUISE. THE ACFT LANDED IN A FIELD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,611 hours in all; 858 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 1,611 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,939 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 22, 1983; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y19 Mandan ND at 8:00 pm
- Destination: NA07 Souris ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from MOT, 26 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.
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.