- Date
- July 20, 1991, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Saint Leo, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1402NPiper J-3
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910720030919A
- Case key
- 15137
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
Performance data was misjudged resulting in a positive climb not being attained by the pilot. A factor related to the accident was high density altitude.
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 attempting to takeoff from a cut OAT farm field, the acft failed to attain a positive climb. The acft struck a dirt embankment, lost flying speed, and settled into a corn field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1402N
- Reported as
- Piper J-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22926
- Airframe hours
- 3,367
- Engine
- Continental C-90-8, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Schaefer, William J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1991 · 31 hours before
- Destination
- MML · Marshall, MN
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 142 total · 120 in this make and model · 115 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.