Stinson 10A accident near Pickwick, Minnesota, May 17, 2009
On May 17, 2009 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Stinson 10A, registered N31584, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Pickwick, Minnesota. It was a personal 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2009 · about 9:20 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Pickwick, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 10A · all 10As on the register
- Registration
- N31584 · no longer on the register · serial 7833
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on a pleasure flight the airplane's engine sputtered and lost power. He said that he checked the magnetos, applied carburetor heat and checked the fuel selector in an attempt to restore engine power. Engine power was not restored and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck trees, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot noted that after the accident there were no apparant preimpact visible defects that would account for the loss of engine power. A separate examination of the airplane subsequent to the accident revealed no anomalies that would account for the loss of engine power.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Failure other cases naming the engine
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 210 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 4AC199D&E SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LSE Lacrosse WI at 9:00 pm
- Destination: ONA Winona MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from ONA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on June 17, 2009. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N31584: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Stinson 10 89 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stinson 1,730 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Franklin 4AC199D&E SER 89 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- LA Crosse Regional · departed from
- Winona Muni/Max Conrad Field · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Minnesota 1,544 since 1982 · 209 in the last ten years
- Minnesota 6,941 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN09CA322.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.