- Date
- October 6, 1993, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- St Paul, MN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N81235Boeing 75N1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931006037809A
- Case key
- 9407
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain proper altitude.
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 being maneuvered over a swampy area on a local flight. A witness described the altitude as 'exceedingly low.' As the pilot was making a left turn, the airplane descended and struck some tall brush with the left wing. The airplane then cartwheeled to a stop.
Factual narrative
On October 6, 1993, at 1300 central daylight time, a Boeing B-75N1, N81235, sustained substantial damage when it crashed while maneuvering about ten miles south of the Flying Cloud Airport, St. Paul Minnesota. The air transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger received minor injuries. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time for the sightseeing flight.
The pilot stated he began a left descending turn over a swamp, and the airplane developed a sink rate which he could not arrest with power. A witness who lives next to the swamp reported the airplane was circling the swamp and was "exceedingly low." The witness saw the left wing of the airplane clip some tall brush and cartwheel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81235
- Reported as
- Boeing 75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-7990
- Engine
- Continental W-670-6A, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Planes Of Fame Museum
- Registered owner
- Robert J. Pond
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- FCM
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
- 38
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 4,910 total · 35 in this make and model · 2,320 as pilot in command · 164 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FCM, 10 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.
Other investigations on N81235 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.