# Accident 20250505005659A: Piper PA-28-180, South Saint Pau, MN, May 5, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 5, 2025, 18:00 local time
- Place: South Saint Pau, MN
- Airport: South St Paul Municipal-Richard E F
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.8616° N, 93.0349° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8616&lon=-93.0349&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7951W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7951W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 17,000 total, 122 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA171) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250505005659A

## Narrative

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

THE PIC MET THE STUDENT PILOT AT THE AIRPORT TO LET THE STUDENT FLY THE PIC’S PIPER CHEROKEE. THE STUDENT HAD 6.5 HOURS TOTAL FLYING TIME, ALL IN A CESSNA 172. THE PIC DISCUSSED THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CHEROKEE AND A C172 AND WALKED THE STUDENT THROUGH A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT. THE TWO PILOTS PRACTICED 6 TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS SUCCESSFULLY AND PROCEEDED WITH A FULL STOP LANDING. UPON TOUCHDOWN LEFT OF CENTERLINE, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR MADE CONTACT FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED HARD LEFT. THE PIC IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED: “MY CONTROLS" AND ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PIC STATED THAT IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER AND THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS OFF THE RUNWAY IN SECONDS. IN THE MOMENT OF LOST CONTROL, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STRUT AND THE MOTOR MOUNT BENT AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP AND PROPELLER MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE PIC STATED THAT AFTER THE INCIDENT, THEY DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENED AND THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE HAD HIS FEET ON THE BRAKES UPON TOUCHDOWN.

## 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 CEN25LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA171), May 5, 2025: Piper PA28 (N7951W), South Saint Paul, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s inadvertent brake application during the touchdown, that resulted in abnormal runway contact and a loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was the flight…

## Other reports on N7951W (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19990418025689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990418025689I), Apr 18, 1999: Piper PA28180 (N7951W), Waseca, MN, Minor damage. N7951W departed runway 33 at acq, lost power soon after liftoff, and made an emergency landing in a field beyond, and slightly to the left of the extended…
- [Accident 19750115002189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19750115002189A), Jan 15, 1975: Piper PA28180 (N7951W), Waseca, MN, Substantial damage

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.