- Date
- November 10, 2001, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hillman, MN
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3761XAero Commander 100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA- Minneapolis, Minnesota FSDO
- FAA report
- 20011110029949A
- Case key
- 53830
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 inadvertent stall by the pilot. Factors were the tailwind, and the improper decision of the pilot to takeoff with a tailwind.
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 airplane was damaged when it impacted the ground after takeoff from a private airstrip. In a written statement, the pilot said that the wind was light and from the northwest. He said that he elected to takeoff downwind due to obstructions north of the airstrip. He said that the airplane became airborne and flew to an altitude of about 30 to 50 feet above ground level when the airplane, "...suddenly banked hard to right. Pilot tried to correct with full left yoke deflection and slightly nose down elevator. Right wing contacted [the] ground...." A weather reporting station located about 26 miles and 200 degrees from the accident site recorded the wind as 9 knots from 340 degrees at 1053. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.
Factual narrative
On November 10, 2001, at 1030 central standard time, an Aero Commander 100, N3761X, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground after takeoff from a private airstrip near Hillman, Minnesota. The north-south oriented turf runway is about 2,200 feet long and 75 feet wide, and the takeoff was made to the south. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was not on a flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers received minor injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
In a written statement, the pilot said that the wind was light and from the northwest. He said that he elected to takeoff downwind due to obstructions north of the airstrip. He said that the airplane became airborne and flew to an altitude of about 30 to 50 feet above ground level when the airplane, "...suddenly banked hard to right. Pilot tried to correct with full left yoke deflection and slightly nose down elevator. Right wing contacted [the] ground...."
A weather reporting station located about 26 miles and 200 degrees from the accident site recorded the wind as 9 knots from 340 degrees at 1053.
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3761X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 251
- Airframe hours
- 3,763
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lloyd S. Rinkel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 3, 2001 · 24.5 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Hillman, MN
- Airport
- Private Airstrip, runway 180, 2,200 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 31
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 28, 1998
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 111 total · 57 in this make and model · 95 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- STC, 26 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.