- Date
- June 5, 2021, 13:46 local (18:46 UTC)
- Place
- Alexandria, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3697VCessna 140
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20210605006309A
- Case key
- 103229
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot did not maintain aircraft and directional control during the landing in variable wind conditions resulting in abnormal contact with the terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while landing from his sixth Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles flight for the day, the airplane encountered a downdraft and variable wind conditions causing it to bounce several times. The pilot attempted to maintain control, but the airplane veered to the left off the runway and impacted the terrain in a nose low attitude. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that prior to this flight, hazardous weather was in the area; however, the weather appeared to not be a factor in the area, and he thought he could complete the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3697V
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 14973
- Built
- 1948
- Airframe hours
- 3,991
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 16, 2021 · 30 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- AXN · Chandler Fld, runway 13/31, 5,099 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 4, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 659 total · 308 in this make and model · 618 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 17 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 60.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.