# NTSB CEN21LA044: Piper PA-22-135, N3606A, Dunn Center, ND, November 8, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 7, 2020, 19:18 local (Nov 8, 2020, 02:18 UTC) - Place: Dunn Center, ND · 1 mi SW of 12th St. SW & 95th Ave. SW - Coordinates: 47.227222, -102.51666 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.2272&lon=-102.5167&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 102248 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102248/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102248 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA044 ## Probable cause The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: total instrument experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031030): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031030/cases.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: low ceiling](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010/cases.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 190 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-22-135, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102206), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The noninstrument-rated pilot had landed at a friend’s private airstrip for a visit. The friend, who was also a pilot, reported that the pilot was nervous about the weather conditions and checked the weather every 30 minutes beginning about 2 hours before departing. The friend offered the pilot his vehicle to drive home, but the pilot declined. According to the friend, it was a dark night with low cloud ceilings, light drizzle, and thick fog. The friend stated that he followed the airplane during its takeoff roll to the south using his headlights to illuminate the runway and lost sight of the airplane’s lights in the overcast and fog within seconds after its departure. He heard the airplane’s engine running at high rpm and then heard an impact. The wreckage was located on top of a hill about 1/4 mile southwest of the airstrip. Ground scars, impact signatures, and wreckage fragmentation patterns were consistent with the airplane impacting terrain in a near 90° bank angle with high forward velocity. The airplane’s impact attitude and speed indicate the pilot had lost control of the airplane. The airplane likely entered instrument meteorological conditions shortly after takeoff, and the pilot lost visual reference to the ground, which resulted in a loss of control. ## Factual narrative On November 7, 2020, about 1918 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-22-135, N3606A, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Dunn Center, North Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot had landed at the friend’s private airstrip for a visit. The friend, who was also a pilot, reported that the accident pilot was nervous about the weather conditions and checked the weather every 30 minutes beginning about 2 hours before he departed. The friend offered the pilot his vehicle to drive home, but the pilot declined. He described the weather as a low ceiling, light drizzle, thick fog, and light conditions as a dark night. The pilot told his friend that he was going to return to Fargo, North Dakota, but would first fly to Dickinson, North Dakota, to purchase fuel. According to the friend, the pilot believed that Dickson had an overcast sky at 2,500 ft above ground level, and the pilot thought that once airborne he would be able to see the lights of Dickinson about 22 miles to the south. The friend further stated that he followed the airplane during its takeoff roll to the south using his headlights to illuminate the runway. He lost sight of the airplane’s lights in the overcast and fog within seconds after its departure. He said he could hear the airplane in the overcast, and it sounded like it was turning back toward the runway. He heard the airplane’s engine running at high rpm and then heard an impact. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the scene of the accident, the airplane struck a hill about 1/4 mile southwest of the airstrip. The FAA inspector reported ground scars, impact signatures, and wreckage fragmentation patterns consistent with the airplane impacting terrain in a near 90° bank angle with high forward velocity. The examination of the flight controls and engine was limited due to the impact damage to the airplane. According to a weather study conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board, an Airmen’s Meteorological Information (AIRMET) advisory Sierra was valid for the accident site for instrument flight rules weather conditions due to mist and fog. Satellite imagery illustrated cloud cover with cloud tops up to 27,000 ft msl over the accident site. There were no precipitation echoes above the accident site at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3606A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3606A-2022-07-30), registration cancelled 2022-07-30, S/N 22-1866, built 1953 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-135 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-135](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-135) (registry code 7102206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-1866 - Year built: 1953 - Engines: Lycoming O-290-D2 135 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Dunn Center, ND - Destination: DIK, Dickinson, ND - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; toxicology performed; flight hours: 82 total, 78 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 80° at 9 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 900 ft broken - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.52 inHg - Observed at: KHZE, 38 nm away - METAR: METAR KHZE 080135Z AUTO 08009G14KT 10SM BKN009 02/02 A2952 RMK AO2= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20201107015449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201107015449A), Nov 7, 2020: Piper PA-22-135, Dunn Center, ND, Destroyed, 1 fatal. The VFR aircraft departed an unimproved airstrip at night in fog and low overcast. The airstrip owner and primary witness, followed the aircraft with his truck… ## Docket (12 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 1, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102248. 8.1 MB in all. - Observer's statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11796267&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(3a)Observer%27s%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's briefing (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 164 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11797348&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(4)FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Briefing-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11797743&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(5)FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Excerpts from FAA inspector's statement (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11799459&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(6)Excerpts%20from%20FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Weather factual report (item 5, PDF, 21 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11940219&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN21LA044_weatherfactualSuffernfinal-Rel.pdf - Weather attachment 1 (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11940457&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=attachment1_GFAimagedata-Rel.pdf - Weather attachment 2 (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11940351&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=attachment2_witnessinfoNDprinted_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Personal electronic device - specialist's factual report (item 8, PDF, 2 pages, 446 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11972117&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN21LA044%20Personal%20Electronic%20Device%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.pdf - Google earth image of departure (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11799469&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(8)Google%20Earth%20Image%20of%20Departure-Rel.pdf - Google earth image of ground scar (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 362 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11799037&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(9)Google%20Earth%20Image%20of%20Ground%20Scar-Rel.pdf - Toxicology report (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 154 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11799775&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(10a)Toxicology%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident report photographs (item 12, PDF, 3 pages, 848 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11801306&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=(11)Accident%20Report%20Photographs-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.