Location: Windom, MN Accident Number: CEN21LA075 Date & Time: December 6, 2020, 06:25 Local Registration: N8178Y Aircraft: Piper PA32 Injuries: 1 Fatal Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On December 6, 2020, about 0625 central standard time, a Piper PA32 airplane, N8178Y, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Windom, Minnesota. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to airport video and preliminary air traffic control (ATC) radar data, the airplane departed at 0621 from Runway 35 at Windom Municipal Airport (MWM) on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, but the pilot did not initiate radio contact with ATC. The airplane made several turns with large heading changes about 2 miles north of MWM starting at 0623:24. The last ATC radar data was recorded at 0625:12 near the accident site.