Piper PA-23-250 accident near Bemidji, Minnesota, June 21, 1989
On June 21, 1989 at about 9:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6513Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bemidji, Minnesota (Bemidji 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 CONTINUED APPROACH AND LANDING BY THE PILOT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1989 · about 9:28 pm local time
- Place
- Bemidji, Minnesota · Bemidji · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6513Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-3804
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT TO LAND, A LINE OF DARK CLOUDS WAS NEXT TO THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 31. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH SEGMENT, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED HEAVY RAIN AND TURBULENCE. INITIALLY, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, THEN DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, STRONG/GUSTY WINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE ADJACENT GRASS AREA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT CROSSED A DITCH AND CAME TO REST ON A PUBLIC ROAD.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,550 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 15, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bemidji Aviation Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BJI at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,598 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:40 pm from BJI, 1 miles away
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.