# Accident 19970329003899A: Cessna 140, Big Lake, MN, March 29, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 29, 1997, 12:30 local time
- Place: Big Lake, MN
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.3296° N, 93.7394° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3296&lon=-93.7394&mi=10
- Aircraft: N77166, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N77166-2017-07-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 140 (registry code 2071602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C85 series (registry code 17008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c85-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 140
- Reported engine: CONT C8512
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 833 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI97FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970329003899A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI97FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97FA095), Mar 29, 1997: Cessna 140 (N77166), Big Lake, MN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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.

## Other reports on N77166 (1)

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

- [Accident 19730812037579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730812037579A), Aug 12, 1973: Cessna 140 (N77166), Thomaston, GA, Substantial damage. Braking had little effect on slick grass.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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