Piper PA-38-112 accident near Minot, North Dakota, July 19, 1986
On July 19, 1986 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2355A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minot, North Dakota (Flying S Ranch airport). 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
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
- July 19, 1986 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Minot, North Dakota · Flying S Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2355A · registry record · serial 3878A 0650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL HE ARRIVED AT AN AIRSTRIP SW OF MINOT FOR A LANDING. SEVERAL LOW APPROACHES WERE MADE BEFORE HE ELECTED TO LAND. HE SAID THAT AFTER THE TOUCHDOWN AND DURING HIS LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT SWERVED AND WENT INTO A WHEAT FIELD BESIDE THE STRIP. THE LEFT WING THEN COLLIDED WITH WET SOFT TERRAIN & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE GRASS ON THE AIRSTRIP WAS DRY, BUT THE SURFACE WAS SOFT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 991 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,599 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 14, 1986; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Scott Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MOT Minot ND at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.