Jackson Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jackson, Minnesota 56143
Monday, July 21, 2003 7:39 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness reported seeing the airplane flying "normal" at an altitude of 600-800 feet above ground level on an east-southeasterly heading. The witness stated the airplane then turned to the left and descended straight down to the ground. Two other witnesses, who were about 1 mile away from the airport, reported seeing the airplane heading straight down toward the ground. The pilot had a long history of depression. Three days prior to the accident, the pilot was hospitalized due to an attempted suicide. The pilot was released from the hospital on the day prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's intentional flight into terrain as an act of suicide.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/2003
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 739
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Jackson
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56143
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433901N
Event Location Longitude 0945809W
Event Location Airport JACKSON MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MJQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 60
Airport Elevation 1446
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 736 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID MJQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1446
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15826
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 21 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 833
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Minneapolis, MN FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33774
NTSB Number CHI03FA219
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-75-10061
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1432.3
Airframe Hours 3156.4
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Brady L. Jass
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2095 30th Avenue
Aircraft Owner City Trimont
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56176
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Douglas L. Scholl
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MJQ
Departure City Jackson
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MJQ
Destination City Jackson
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 26 2004 8:02AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --