- Date
- December 23, 2016, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Warren, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7961FCessna 150
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161223022259A
- Case key
- 94537
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 noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 4
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 noncertificated pilot reported that, while he was taxiing to test the brakes, the airplane slid to the right, impacted a snowbank, and nosed over. He added that "this was not a flight, takeoff or landing. Simply went off [the] runway during a taxi test of [the] brakes." However, in a statement provided by the Sheriff's office to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot stated that he was low on fuel and that, after he landed, he hit a snowdrift and nosed over. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot reported that he was taxiing to test the brakes, the airplane slid to the right, impacted a snowbank and nosed over. He added that "this was not a flight, takeoff or landing. Simply went off [the] runway during a taxi test of [the] brakes." However, in a statement provided by the Sheriff's office to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot stated that he was low on fuel and after he landed, he hit a snowdrift and nosed over. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7961F
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15064061
- Built
- 1966
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Destination
- D37 · Warren, MN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- D37 · Warren Muni
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 360° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 10 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KCKN, 21 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.