- Date
- October 24, 1984, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Berthold, ND
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N23152Piper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841024058569A
- Case key
- 16778
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.
In flight encounter with weather
Weather condition - fog
Weather condition - rain
Light condition - dusk
Vfr flight into imc - performedCause
Lack of total experience
Loss of control - in flight
Descent - uncontrolledCause
Spatial disorientationCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - ground
Analysis
The student solo plt was on a cross-country flt and was appropriately endorsed. Impact occurred at aprx 80 degrees nose down. Wx in the vicinity of the accident was reported to be 300 ft ceilings with visibility of 1/4 mi in fog and rain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23152
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-81A0121
- Airframe hours
- 1,086
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pietsch Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Richard Gaudette
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 18, 1984 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- 1SN · Williston, ND
- Destination
- MOT · Minot, ND
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 33 total · 4 in this make and model · 13 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 6° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.