Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Friday, October 14, 1988 5:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED AS THE PLT WAS MAKING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT NIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT INITIALLY, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY. IT THEN BOUNCED OVER THE EASTBOUND LANE(S) & SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO REST IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THE OCCURRENCE, THE PLT RECEIVED A CONCUSSION & COULD NOT REMEMBER THE ACDNT. NO FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS. AFTER THE ACDNT, THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL WAS NOTED IN THE PLT'S BREATH. A BLOOD SAMPLE WAS DRAWN ABOUT 1 HR AFTER THE ACDNT. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE BLOOD SHOWED THE PLT HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.12% (GRAMS/100 ML). THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 7/17/86.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PLT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM HIS INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT NIGHT AND UNEVEN TERRAIN (HIGHWAY MEDIAN) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 505
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ALEXANDRIA
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56308
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 504 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID STC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1024
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2109
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38458
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8088P
NTSB Number CHI89LA011
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3336
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT E ABSEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3926 N GRANITE REEF ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name IRA HANSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 1
Operator City HALLOCK
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56728
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AXN
Departure City ALEXANDRIA
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --