- Date
- April 16, 1991, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Forks, ND
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19910416011342A19910416011341A
- Case key
- 15045
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
Inadequate visual outlook by the pilot in command.
Inadequate visual outlook by the pilot of the other aircraft.
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
The pilot said that while entering the airport traffic area, under positive control, he observed an aircraft to his left. He made an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision, but his aircraft passed under the other aircraft. His propeller struck the stabilator. He entered the pattern, executed a touch and go, then landed. The only visable damage to the aircraft was minor scratches on the propeller tips.
While entering the airport traffic area, under positive control, the aircraft was struck on the bottom of the stabilizer by the propeller of another aircraft also entering the pattern. The aircraft proceeded to enter the pattern, execute a touch and go then land to a full stop. The pilot was unaware of the damage and the next user of the aircraft found the damage on the preflight inspection. The converging aircraft's propeller had made two slashed in the bottom of the horizontal stabilator and trim tab.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N143ND
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2841135
- Airframe hours
- 1,669
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- University Of North Dakota
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 13, 1991 · 6 hours before
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.
- Registration
- N114ND
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2841330
- Airframe hours
- 337
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- University Of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 16, 1991 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- GFK · Grand Forks, ND
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N143ND
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 88 total · 88 in this make and model · 37 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N114ND
- Age
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 75 total · 75 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GFK, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.