# Accident 20200902009699A: Piper PA-28-235, Walker, MN, September 2, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 2, 2020, 01:08 local time
- Place: Walker, MN
- Airport: Bemidji Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.2056° N, 94.4226° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2056&lon=-94.4226&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8957W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8957W-2021-12-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-235
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20LA374](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA374) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200902009699A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE, LANDED IN SAINT CLOUD, MN (STC) FOR AN EVALUATION FROM EMT'S, NO APPARENT ISSUES FOUND, PILOT RESUMED FLIGHT, DESTINATION WAS BEMIDJI, MN APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BEMIDJI PILOT LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO LEECH LAKE.

PILOT WAS MOVING TO BEMIDJI, MN FROM NATCHEZ, MS, ATC REQUESTED THE PILOT STOP IN SAINT CLOUD, MN (STC) SO THAT THE EMT'S COULD ACCESS HIS CONDITION, THE PILOT WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION WAS AT TIMES INCOHERENT. THE EMT'S DID NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT WOULD WARRANT STOPPING THE PILOT FROM CONTINUING HIS FLIGHT. THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM STC WITHOUT PURCHASING ANY FUEL, AS THE PILOT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO BEMIDJI, MN THERE WAS A THUNDER STORM DIRECTLY OVER BEMIDJI. BASED ON FLIGHT INFORMATION IT APPEARS THAT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY INTO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE STORM AND CRASHED. POST CRASH AIRCRAFT INSPECTION FOUND NO ANOMALIES THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED A CAUSAL FACTOR TO THE CRASH. BASED ON FLIGHT TIME VERSUS AVAILABLE FUEL ONBOARD AND LACK OF DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN20LA374](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA374), Sep 2, 2020: Piper PA28 (N8957W), Walker, MN, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s impairment from the effects of an undiagnosed brain tumor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.