Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thief River Falls, Minnesota 56701
Thursday, May 9, 2013 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the local flight, the pilot noted that the air was getting a little choppy and that he had to increase the wind correction angle in order to fly a normal heading. The pilot flew a normal downwind approach to the airstrip, but the wind correction angle was very large. He aborted the landing and did a full-power climb to a safe altitude. He said that he then elected to land on the east-west blacktop road right in front of the farm rather than the airstrip, which ran north-south. He circled due to traffic on the road and was concentrating on possible traffic as he approached to land. Soon thereafter, the pilot saw wires directly ahead, and he heard the airplane strike a wire; he applied full power, but the airplane descended and impacted a ditch on the right side and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial wing damage during the nose over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the power line while on approach to landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/2013
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Thief River Falls
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56701
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 480356N
Event Location Longitude 0961106W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1035 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID TVF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1119
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KTVF 091535Z AUTO 06017G23KT 10SM CLR 11/M03 A3022
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31484
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 Aug 27 2013 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1820V
NTSB Number CEN13CA272
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17263762
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7520
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Pilot
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City THIEF RIVER FALLS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56701
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City THIEF RIVER FALLS
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 56701
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Thief River Falls
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Thief River Falls
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2013 3:17PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --