Piper PA-28-161 accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, December 2, 1989
On December 2, 1989 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N130ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE CFI TO UTILIZE CARBURETOR HEAT PRIOR TO THE INDUCTION ICING AND POWER LOSS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO KNOWN AND FORECAST INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1989 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N130ND · no longer on the register · serial 2841220
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI RECEIVED A FSS WEATHER BRIEFING FORECASTING SNOW SHOWERS BOTH EN ROUTE AND ON THE RETURN LEG OF THE FLIGHT. WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS DURING THE RETURN LEG, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS. THE DUAL STUDENT FLEW WHILE THE CFI FILED AND OBTAINED IFR CLEARANCE. THE PLANE FLEW FOR 4 MINUTES THROUGH HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS DURING THE CLEARANCE PROCEDURES. BOTH PILOTS SAID THE ENGINE QUIT. THE DUAL STUDENT ENTERED EMERGENCY DESCENT WHILE THE CFI ADDED CARBURETOR HEAT AND ATTEMPTED AN ENGINE RESTART, TO NO AVAIL. WHEN THE STUDENT SAID HE SAW THE TERRAIN, THE CFI TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND COMPLETED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED IN THE PLOWED FIELD. THE PLANE SLID TO REST WITH A DAMAGED FUSELAGE AND LEFT WING. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED AN ICE BUILDUP IN THE CARBURETOR AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.
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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 540 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command; 270 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PKD Park Rapids MN
- Destination: GFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 25 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility: 37 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.