- Date
- November 7, 2001, 20:00 local (Nov 8, 2001, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Backus, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N20002Taylorcraft F19
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20011107030889A
- Case key
- 53837
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's improper preflight planning/preparation, and his continued flight into known adverse weather conditions. Factors relating to the accident were the pilot becoming lost/disoriented in the weather, visual lookout by the pilot during the descent not possible, the pilot's lack of certification to fly in instrument meteorological conditions, the low ceiling, the fog, and the tree.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot said he checked the weather before departing Park Rapids, Minnesota, for his flight to Pine River, Minnesota. He said that the weather was visibility 5 miles and ceiling 1,200 feet. The pilot said, "Encountered clouds/fog enroute, became disoriented, descended into trees." An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. The aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Park Rapids, Minnesota (16 miles northwest of the accident site), 7 minutes before the reported accident time, was few clouds at 500 feet, ceilings of 900 feet broken and 2,400 feet overcast, 8 statute miles visibility, temperature 41 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 39 degrees F, winds 320 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 22 knots, and altimeter 30.08 inches of Mercury. According to FAA airman records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with single engine land rating.
Factual narrative
On November 7, 2001, approximately 2000 central standard time, a Taylorcraft F19, N20002, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during cruise flight when it struck a tree and subsequently impacted into a wooded area 9 miles west of Backus, Minnesota. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained serious injuries in the crash. The pilot reported that the cross-country flight originated at Park Rapids, Minnesota, approximately 1845, and was en route to Pine River, Minnesota.
In his written statement, the pilot said he did not obtain a weather briefing, but did check the AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System) before departing Park Rapids. He said that the weather was visibility 5 miles and ceiling 1,200 feet. The pilot said, "Encountered clouds/fog enroute, became disoriented, descended into trees."
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane at the accident scene. The accident site was located 16 miles southwest of the departure airport. The airplane was located approximately 300 feet south of Minnesota State Highway 87. The airplane's right wing was found approximately 30 feet up in a tree 120 feet southwest of the airplane main wreckage. Debris from the airplane and broken tree branches were scattered along a 035 degree magnetic heading between the tree and the airplane main wreckage. The airplane main wreckage was found resting on its right side cabin with its fuselage and empennage resting against some small trees at the edge of a swampy area. The engine and cowling were bent upward and to the right. The airplane's left wing was intact and showed little damage. The right horizontal stabilizer and elevator were bent and broken aft. The propeller showed small nicks and aft bending. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the engine and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
At 1954, the aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Park Rapids, Minnesota, 16 miles northwest of the accident site, was few clouds at 500 feet, ceilings of 900 feet broken and 2,400 feet overcast, 8 statute miles visibility, temperature 41 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 39 degrees F, winds 320 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 22 knots, and altimeter 30.08 inches of Mercury.
According to FAA airman records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with single engine land rating.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20002
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft F19
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F-128
- Airframe hours
- 1,700
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Edwin Burt
- Registered owner
- Gary Alan Hase
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PKD · Park Rapids, MN
- Destination
- PWC · Pine River, MN
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
- 50
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Invalid Medical for flight
- Last flight review
- June 10, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 100 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 320° at 19 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- PKD, 16 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.