Benson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Bear Lake, Minnesota 55110
Sunday, April 25, 2010 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student pilot successfully completed crosswind landings at a grass airstrip prior to making a landing on runway 31 back at the departure grass airstrip. The winds were from 360 degrees at 14 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The CFI reported that when the airplane was about 30 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered an “unexpected strong down flow of wind (wind shear)” coming over the tree line on the northeast side of the runway that caused the airplane to hit the ground hard. The CFI took the controls prior to the airplane hitting the ground. The airplane bounced and the CFI attempted to recover the airplane, but “didn’t have time to explain to the student what was happening.” Both pilots were on the controls when the airplane touched down the second time. The CFI reported that both brakes were “locked” and the airplane skidded for about 75 feet before the airplane nosed over. He reported that he could not counteract the student pilot’s brake input.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's inadequate attempted recovery from a bounced landing and the student pilot's abrupt use of the brakes, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/25/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City White Bear Lake
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55110
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 450659N
Event Location Longitude 0925945W
Event Location Airport Benson Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6MN9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26961
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 18 2010 12:19PM
User who most recently changed record dinc
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3201A
NTSB Number CEN10CA224
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170-B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25845
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Aircraft Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City White Bear Lake
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Darrly LeMire
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City White Bear Lake
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
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 --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 6MN9
Departure City White Bear Lake
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 6MN9
Destination City White Bear Lake
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2010 3:32PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --