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CHI04CA170

2004-07-04 · Rush City, Minnesota, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KROS

Current FAA registration · N55930

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28-140
Year of manufacture
1973 · 31 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19730606
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A723B4

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions which led to his loss of aircraft control. Factors were the wind gusts, the ditch, and the fence.

Factual narrative

On July 4, 2004, about 2230 central daylight time, a Piper PA28-140, N55930, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck a fence after it went off the left side of runway 34 (4,400 feet by 75 feet, asphalt), at the Rush City Regional Airport, Rush City, Minnesota. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in night visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. No injuries were reported. The local flight originated about 2200. The pilot reported that during the landing approach, the airplane experienced gusty winds. He stated that just before touchdown, the airplane was blown left of the runway centerline and he decided to execute a go-around. He said that as he added power, the airplane touched down and was pulled to the left and off of the runway. He stated that he cut the power and went through a ditch and a barbed wire fence before coming to rest. The winds at 2235 were recorded as: 360 degrees magnetic at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The airplane was damaged when it went off the left side of runway 34 and struck a ditch and a fence. The pilot reported that just before touchdown, the airplane was blown left of the runway centerline and he decided to execute a go-around. He said that as he added power, the airplane touched down and was pulled to the left and off of the runway. He stated that he cut the power and went through a ditch and a barbed wire fence before coming to rest. The winds were recorded as: 360 degrees magnetic at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2004_CHI04CA170.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (go-around). All research papers