# NTSB CEN25LA400: Piper PA-34-200, N14SS, Rush City, MN, September 23, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 23, 2025, 00:10 local (05:10 UTC) - Place: Rush City, MN · wooded area - Coordinates: 45.6855, -92.9655 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6855&lon=-92.9655&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-IFR final approach: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 201745 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA400 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201745/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201745 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA400 ## 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. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-IFR final approach: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Approach-IFR missed approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103405), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported the flight was conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The initial portion of the flight was in visual meteorological conditions. However, as the flight neared the intended destination airport, the weather conditions had deteriorated and an instrument approach was required. While on the final approach segment, the airplane drifted left of course. As the pilot was correcting and looking for the runway, he did not notice the airplane had descended below the minimum descent altitude. He initiated a missed approach but was unable to avoid trees in the airplane flight path. Since the runway was not in sight, he decided to divert to a nearby airport with visual conditions. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and stabilator from the tree impact. The pilot stated there were no failures or malfunctions related to the airplane before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N14SS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N14SS), registered now, S/N 34-7770385 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200 - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200) (registry code 7103405) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-7770385 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 3806 - Engines: Continental LTSIO360 200 horsepower reciprocating; Continental TSIO360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ks Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 11, 2025, 45 hours before - Departed: IKV, Ankeny, IA - Destination: ROS, Rush City, MN - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ROS, Rush City Regional, runway 34, 4,401 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 3, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 789 total, 180 in this make and model, 730 as pilot in command, 83 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night - Wind: 20° at 3 knots, gusting 1 - Visibility: 0.75 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 200 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KROS, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KROS 230515Z AUTO 02003KT 3/4SM BR OVC002 14/13 A2993 ## 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 20250923016599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250923016599A), Sep 23, 2025: Piper PA-34-200, Cambridge, MN, Substantial damage. 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… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 23, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201745. 5.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19393337&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN25LA400_redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photos (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19393829&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photos%20--%20CEN25LA400-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.