Beech B19 accident near Winsted, Minnesota, May 21, 2009
On May 21, 2009 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N3214L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Winsted, Minnesota (Winsted Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper flare during the soft-field landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2009 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Winsted, Minnesota · Winsted Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N3214L · no longer on the register · serial MB-829
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the third practice soft-field landing of the instructional flight, the student pilot flared the airplane and it entered a "full stall" at 5 to 7 feet above the grass runway. The airplane touched down and the flight instructor pulled back on the yoke in an attempt to recover the landing. The nose landing gear then struck the terrain and separated. Examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall and the top of the left wing were wrinkled. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The flight instructor did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,900 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 6,200 as pilot in command; 3,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 74 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 17, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,377 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Aircraft, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: FLM Eden Prairie MN at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 10D Winsted MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,200 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N3214L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.