Piper PA-38-112 accident near Berthold, North Dakota, October 24, 1984
On October 24, 1984 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N23152, was destroyed in an accident near Berthold, North Dakota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- October 24, 1984 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Berthold, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N23152 · registry record · serial 38-81A0121
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT SOLO PLT WAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLT AND WAS APPROPRIATELY ENDORSED. IMPACT OCCURRED AT APRX 80 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. WX IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO BE 300 FT CEILINGS WITH VISIBILITY OF 1/4 MI IN FOG AND RAIN.
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: 33 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,086 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 18, 1984; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1SN Williston ND
- Destination: MOT Minot ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 006° at 10 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm
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 N23152 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.