What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The fargo FSDO was contact on 10/18/2021 at 2215 central time regarding an accident in the hillsboro, ND area. The aircraft was identified as N820ND. Inspectors privacy data omitted were dispatched to the scene on 10/19/2021 to assist the NTSB with the investigation.
Accident scene was in a harvested and plowed rural farm field approximately 3 sm se of the town of Buxton, ND. N820ND was a PA28-181 Piper archer 4 seat training aircraft with the privacy data omitted 141 pilot school. The accident was confined with all four corners of the aircraft in close proximity of one another. Accident site indicates an almost vertical impact on a nw heading. Aircraft spinner and propeller separated from aircraft on impact as the remainder of the aircraft rotated onto the top of the cabin coming to rest about 15 feet to the nw with the exception of the roof of the cockpit roof and right main wheel which were found about 50 and 100 yards respectively to the nw of the initial impact.
The pilot was fatally injured and recovered by the grand forks medical examiner on 10/18/2021.
There was no evidence of any post-crash fire. Investigation by the NTSB, Piper aircraft, and Lycoming engines indicated that the aircraft was involved in a high energy, high angle impact. No evidence was found that would have prevented the engine from making power prior to impact.
As the FAA filed it
THE FARGO FSDO WAS CONTACT ON 10/18/2021 AT 2215 CENTRAL TIME REGARDING AN ACCIDENT IN THE HILLSBORO, ND AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IDENTIFIED AS N820ND. INSPECTORS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE ON 10/19/2021 TO ASSIST THE NTSB WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
ACCIDENT SCENE WAS IN A HARVESTED AND PLOWED RURAL FARM FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3 SM SE OF THE TOWN OF BUXTON, ND. N820ND WAS A PA28-181 PIPER ARCHER 4 SEAT TRAINING AIRCRAFT WITH THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ 141 PILOT SCHOOL. THE ACCIDENT WAS CONFINED WITH ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE AIRCRAFT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF ONE ANOTHER. ACCIDENT SITE INDICATES AN ALMOST VERTICAL IMPACT ON A NW HEADING. AIRCRAFT SPINNER AND PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM AIRCRAFT ON IMPACT AS THE REMAINDER OF THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED ONTO THE TOP OF THE CABIN COMING TO REST ABOUT 15 FEET TO THE NW WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ROOF OF THE COCKPIT ROOF AND RIGHT MAIN WHEEL WHICH WERE FOUND ABOUT 50 AND 100 YARDS RESPECTIVELY TO THE NW OF THE INITIAL IMPACT.
THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND RECOVERED BY THE GRAND FORKS MEDICAL EXAMINER ON 10/18/2021.
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY POST-CRASH FIRE. INVESTIGATION BY THE NTSB, PIPER AIRCRAFT, AND LYCOMING ENGINES INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH ENERGY, HIGH ANGLE IMPACT. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ENGINE FROM MAKING POWER PRIOR TO IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.