19970329003899A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Big Lake, MN · March 29, 1997

Date: March 29, 1997 · 12:30 local
Place: Big Lake, MN
Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N77166
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97FA095
Reported as: Cessna 140
Reported engine: Continental C8512
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 833 total

N77166Registration cancelled Jul 18, 2017 · Cessna 140S/N 11628 · Built 1946 Airframe modelCessna 140 Engine modelContinental C85 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Witness heard low bang. Saw plane wing folded in spin. Wreckage show inflight failure. Known to practice aerobatics (-23) pilot deceased due to accident. Pilot was observed in steep turns prior to accident. Damage indicated both horizontal stabilizers failed causing nose to pitch down and imposing high loads on wings, which also failed. Pilot exceeded design load limits.

As the FAA filed it

WITNESS HEARD LOW BANG. SAW PLANE WING FOLDED IN SPIN. WRECKAGE SHOW INFLIGHT FAILURE. KNOWN TO PRACTICE AEROBATICS (-23) PILOT DECEASED DUE TO ACCIDENT. PILOT WAS OBSERVED IN STEEP TURNS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. DAMAGE INDICATED BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS FAILED CAUSING NOSE TO PITCH DOWN AND IMPOSING HIGH LOADS ON WINGS, WHICH ALSO FAILED. PILOT EXCEEDED DESIGN LOAD LIMITS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97FA095Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportBig Lake, MNThe pilot's maneuvers which exceeded the design stress limits of the airplane and resulted in structural overload of the horizontal tail followed by a structural overload of the wings.Mar 29, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N77166 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19730812037579ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Thomaston, GABraking had little effect on slick grass.Aug 12, 1973 · Substantial damage