Piper PA-18 accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota, April 5, 1989
On April 5, 1989 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N7523K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota (Devils Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND AN INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP/SWERVE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE CROSSWIND AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1989 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Devils Lake, North Dakota · Devils Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N7523K · registry record · serial 18-239
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS LANDING ON RWY 31 WITH A WIND FROM 030 DEG AT 8 KTS, HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL & THE PLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. DURING THE OCCURRENCE, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE SURFACE & THE LEFT MAIN SPAR WAS BENT. THE PLT HAD 15 HRS OF FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 496 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 439 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: DVL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,509 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.