Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamm Lake, Minnesota 55304
Sunday, July 3, 1988 12:46 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WHICH OCCURRED DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS DISCOVERED BY THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHO REPORTED IT TO ATC. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO DEFECTS WITH EITHER THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT THAT WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT ITS APPROVED FLIGHT ENVELOPE. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING OF THE STUDENT PILOT REVEALED A METABOLITE OF MARIJUANA PRESENT IN THE SUBJECTS URINE AT A CONCENTRATION OF 179NG/ML.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT, EITHER BY THE STUDENT OR BY THE INSTRUCTOR, AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO ALLOW FOR A RECOVERY, BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, BEFORE THE RESULTING OUT OF CONTROL DESCENT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TO STRIKE THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1246
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HAMM LAKE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55304
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2443
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39448
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2485N
NTSB Number CHI88FA153
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 79A0867
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 29 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 2990
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD & SHARON HEDQUIST
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6209 BALDER LN.
Aircraft Owner City EDINA
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55435
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNIV. OF MINNESOTA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2289 COUNTY ROAD J
Operator City MINNEAPOLIS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55432
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ANE
Departure City ANOKA
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --