Moorhead Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hawley, Minnesota 56549
Friday, March 29, 2013 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The noninstrument-rated private pilot departed on a personal flight without a flight plan. According to a designated pilot examiner, the pilot obtained weather information on a computer before the flight. Weather reports indicated that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed before and during the flight at the destination airport. According to the pilot’s mother, she talked to him during the flight, told him that fog existed in the area, and asked him to land in another area; the pilot continued the flight without diverting. Search and rescue operations were conducted about 4 hours later when the pilot’s mother contacted local authorities due to concern that he had not arrived. The airplane wreckage was located about 15 miles east of the destination airport and exhibited a high-speed, right-wing-low impact with terrain, indicative of a loss of control. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s improper decision to conduct a flight into known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/29/2013
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Hawley
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56549
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 464846N
Event Location Longitude 0961707W
Event Location Airport Moorhead Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JKJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 18
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 918
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID JKJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 918
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
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) 32393
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 15 2013 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record galm
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5367B
NTSB Number CEN13FA214
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15283850
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Mar 28 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Superior Flying Services LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Superior
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54880
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Superior Flying Services LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Superior
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 54880
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 No
Departure Airport Code SUW
Departure City Superior
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JKJ
Destination City Moorhead
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 19 2013 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --