- Date
- March 9, 1997, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Two Harbors, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9950YChampion 7GCB
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970309002679A
- Case key
- 10525
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 directional control of the airplane during landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the gusty crosswind condition, and the snowbank.
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 reported he was touching down on runway 24 when a gust of wind caused the right wing to lift. He was unable to lower the wing using aileron control, so he decided to abort the landing. He reported that the airplane veered to the right as it lifted off. The airplane then nosed over after contacting a snowbank along the right side of the runway. The airport manager reported that the wind was varying between 260 and 320 degrees, at 19 to 26 knots around the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On March 9, 1997, at 1030 central standard time, a Champion 7GCB, N9950Y, registered to and operated by a private pilot collided with a snowbank and flipped over while landing at the Two Harbors/Helgeson Airport, Two Harbors, Minnesota. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The local flight originated from the Two Harbors/Helgeson Airport at 0945 cst.
The pilot stated he was landing on runway 24 (4,400' x 75') with strong gusty winds from the right. He reported that the right main gear touched down and as he was lowering the tail the left main touched down. At this same time, a gust of wind rose the right wing. He reported he was unable to bring the wing back down using the ailerons so he elected to abort the landing. He reported that as the airplane lifted off it drifted to the right of the runway where it nosed over after contacting a snowbank.
The local winds were reported at 1035 cst as being from 270 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 24 knots. Twenty minutes earlier the local winds were reported as being from 280 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The airport manager reported that the winds were varying from 260 to 320 degrees at 19 to 26 knots around the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9950Y
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCB
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7GCB-156
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph A. Miller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TWM
- Airport
- TWM · Two Harbors-Helgeson, runway 24, 4,400 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 575 total · 64 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TWM
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 N9950Y · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.