- Date
- March 31, 1983, 13:12 local (19:12 UTC)
- Place
- Miltona, MN
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4186RPiper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830331010389A
- Case key
- 11986
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Prior to separting, the plt was advised of low ceilings & poor visibility over the entire proposed route & was advised that VFR flt was not recommended. In a discussion with persons at fergus falls, MN, he stated that he was going to follow the highway. About 20 to 25 min after departing fergus falls, the acft crashed in a barnyard on level terrain. A witness stated that before the plane crashed, the eng sounded like the acft was performing dives & stalls & that the 'power would increase and then slow down.' He then saw the acft come out of the overcast at a high rate of speed in about a 45 deg nose down, 70 to 80 deg right wing low attitude. He estimated that he saw the acft about 2 seconds from the time it came out of the clouds until it impacted the ground. No preimpact, mechanical part malfunction or failure was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4186R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-40520
- Airframe hours
- 3,777
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David G. Stewart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 1982 · 188 hours before
- Departed
- FFM · Fergis Falls, MN
- Destination
- MFI · Marshfield, WI
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 472 total · 155 in this make and model · 415 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AXN, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.