# Accident 20250923016599A: Piper PA-34-200, Cambridge, MN, September 23, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 2025, 00:02 local time
- Place: Cambridge, MN
- Airport: Cambridge Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.6855° N, 92.9655° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6855&lon=-92.9655&mi=10
- Aircraft: N14SS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N14SS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200 (registry code 7103405, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 789 total, 180 in this make and model, 82 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA400](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA400) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250923016599A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT WITH TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD WAS WITHIN THIRTY MILES OF HIS HOME AIRPORT FLYING VMC NEAR MIDNIGHT. HE TUNED TO AWOS FOR A WEATHER UPDATE OF 10SM AND CLEAR SKIES. AT 10NM OUT AWOS CHANGED TO DIMINISHED VISIBILITY. THE PILOT OBTAINED CLEARANCE FOR AN RNAV APPROACH AND PROCEEDED IFR. WHILE CORRECTING COURSE AND LOOKING FOR THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED BELOW DECISION ALTITUDE. WHEN INITIATING A MISSED APPROACH, THE PILOT SAW THERE WAS A TREE IN HIS PATH. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREETOP DESPITE APPLYING POWER AND PITCHING UPWARD. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND DIVERTED TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE STARBOARD SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE TREE WAS TO THE FUSELAGE, WING ROOT, ENGINE NACELLE, PROPELLER, WING LEADING EDGE, LOWER WING SURFACE, FLAP, AND WINGTIP LIGHT.

## 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 CEN25LA400](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA400), Sep 23, 2025: Piper PA-34-200 (N14SS), Rush City, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly monitor the airplane glide path which resulted in the inadvertent descent below the approach minimum descent altitude and the impact with trees.

## Other reports on N14SS (1)

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

- [Incident 20031005025329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031005025329I), Oct 5, 2003: Piper PA34200 (N14SS), Denton, TX, Minor damage. (-23) On October 5, 2003, at approximately 1805 local time, flight instructor and pilot in command, Mr. Adrian cantu and his student Mr. Dan selters on board…

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.

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