Flying Cloud Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
Sunday, February 13, 1994 16:33 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE ORIGINATING AIRPORT AFTER A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK UNMARKED POWERLINES. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. THE POWERLINES WERE LOCATED 1.2 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND WERE 44 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY ELEVATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND REMAINING BELOW A PROPER GLIDE PATH DURING FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/13/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1633
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City EDEN PRAIRIE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55344
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING CLOUD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FCM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 906
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1637 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID FCM
Elevation of weather observation facility 906
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1069
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 13 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23797
NTSB Number CHI94LA084
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-79A1054
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 27 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THUNDERBIRD AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5100 EDEN AVE
Aircraft Owner City MINNEAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55436
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THUNDERBIRD AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5100 EDEN AVE
Operator City MINNEAPOLIS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55436
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code Y39
Departure City OLIVIA
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27R
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --