St. Paul Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St Paul, Minnesota 55434
Monday, April 7, 1986 8:25 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CLIMBOUT AFTER T.O. AND PASSING THRU 4000 FT SMOKE BEGAN TO ENTER THE CABIN. PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND TURNED TOWARD ARPT. ENG THEN BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. ACFT WAS CLEARED TO LD BUT PLT CONTINUED TO A POINT FOUR MI PAST BASE LEG, ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDER BUT STRUCK A HI POWER LINE. PLT ELECTED TO LD GEAR DOWN IN SOFT SOIL AND DURING ROLL OUT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 825
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ST PAUL
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55434
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST. PAUL DOWNTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID STP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 945 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID STP
Elevation of weather observation facility 932
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2415
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 857
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33090
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9538B
NTSB Number CHI86LA117
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172-RG II
Aircraft Series Identifier 172-RG II
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0864
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1332
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINGS INC. (JAMES T. BENTHAM)
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5871 160TH ST. SE
Aircraft Owner City PRIOR LAKE
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55372
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
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 810
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FFM
Destination City FERGUS FALLS
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --