Piper PA-16 accident near Minot, North Dakota, July 5, 1989
On July 5, 1989 at about 2:01 am local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N5295H, was destroyed in an accident near Minot, North Dakota (Minot Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE AIRFRAME TUBING (LONGERON) AT THE LOWER FORWARD DOOR FRAME DUE TO CORROSION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLY WITH SERVICE BULLETIN #819.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1989 · about 2:01 am local time
- Place
- Minot, North Dakota · Minot Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N5295H · no longer on the register · serial 16-99
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PLT TURNED ON FINAL APCH TO LND, HE HEARD A 'THUD,' THEN THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED LEFT TURN. AFTER TURNING ABOUT 360 DEG, IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILUREOF THE AIRFRAME TUBING AT THE LOWER FORWARD DOOR FRAME. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE AREA OF A CONGLOMERATE WELD WHERE THE TUBING WAS PART OF THE DOOR FRAME, FIRE WALL/ENGINE MOUNT, & RIGHT FORWARD LIFT STRUT SUPPORT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE TUBING HAD SEPARATED PRIOR TO IMPACT. APRX 3/4 OF THE FRACTURE WAS THE RESULT OF CORROSION; THE REMAINING FRACTURE WAS FROM OVERLOAD, BUT NOT DUE TO IMPACT. WITH THIS FAILURE, THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING WOULD TWIST UPWARD & THE ENGINE (WITH POWER) WOULD MOVE UP & TO THE LEFT. PIPER SERVICE BULLETING #819, SUBJECT: FUSELAGE DOOR FRAME TUBE CORROSION, DATED 2/28/86, ADDRESSED THE HAZARD OF CORROSION IN THIS AREA.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,520 as pilot in command; 615 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1989; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S25 Watford City ND at 1:00 am
- Destination: MOT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 7,493 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:03 am from MDT, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.