- Date
- January 9, 2024, 15:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place
- Park Rapids, MN · Sky Manor Aero Estates Airport
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1401VPiper J3C
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240109002439A
- Case key
- 193640
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control and terrain clearance during initial climb, that resulted in an impact with trees and terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he completed a full preflight inspection of the airplane with no issues noted, including inspecting all the flight control surfaces. During the run-up, the pilot checked all the flight controls and he noted they “all checked perfect.” The pilot was operating at a remote airport that was surrounded by pine trees, about 90 ft tall, on all sides. The takeoff roll from the snow-covered runway was “normal” and about 150 ft agl, the airplane “started turning/pulling left” in a descending turn. The pilot attempted to correct the turn and descent to no avail. The pilot decided to continue to use engine power until the airplane impacted trees. The airplane impacted several trees and came to rest nose down. The pilot was able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the engine mount. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination of the airframe established flight control continuity.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1401V
- Reported as
- Piper J3C (65)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 10771
- Built
- 1943
- Airframe hours
- 3,528
- Engine
- Continental Motors C-85-12F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 28, 2022
- Destination
- DTL · Detroit Lakes, MN
- Airport
- MN86 · Sky Manor Aero Estates, runway 13/31, 1,999 × 80 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 27, 2022
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 2,665 total · 675 in this make and model · 2,347 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 18 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.57 inHg
- Observed at
- KPKD, 9 nm away
- METAR
- KPKD 092122Z AUTO 02003KT 10SM FEW012 M08/M11 A2957 RMK AO2 T10781111
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 22, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1401V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.