Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016
Wednesday, May 10, 1989 20:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER THE PLT & AN ACQUAINTANCE TOOK OFF ON A LOCAL FLT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING LOW OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE ACFT'S WHEELS TOUCHED THE WATER AT ONE POINT. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO CLIMB & BEGIN CIRCLING A CHEMICAL PLANT, NEAR THE RIVER, WHERE PRODUCTION LIGHTING WAS BEING USED TO FILM A DOCUMENTARY AT DUSK. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENTERED A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & CRASHED IN A NEARBY WOODED AREA ON THE RIVER BLUFF. A SHORT TIME AFTER THE ACDNT, MEDICAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED & PROVIDED ASSISTANCE. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. AS THE OCCUPANTS WERE BEING REMOVED FROM THE ACDNT SITE, THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL WAS NOTED. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.143% (143 MG/DL) & THE PASSENGER HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL OF 0.186% (186 MG/DL).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL; AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH WOODED/HILLY TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2050
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COTTAGE GROVE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55016
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2053 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 969
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39132
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5357Q
NTSB Number MKC89FA107
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285105
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 17 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 3740
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WHITE BEAR INVESTMENT CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4770 PEGGY LANE
Aircraft Owner City WHITE BEAR LAKE
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55110
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WING'S INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ST. PAUL DTWN AIRPORT
Operator City ST. PAUL
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55061
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 STP
Departure City ST PAUL
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2038
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --