Amateur-built WAG-AEROSPORTSMAN2+2 accident near Milica, Minnesota, May 17, 2010
On May 17, 2010, a amateur-built WAG-AEROSPORTSMAN2+2, registered N124SN, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Milica, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2010
- Place
- Milica, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WAG-AEROSPORTSMAN2+2
- Registration
- N124SN · registry record · serial WA 674 SN
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he and his passenger had flown for approximately 1.5 hours before returning to his airport for landing. Prior to landing, the pilot became distracted by another aircraft within the vicinity of the airport and he forgot to switch to "both" tanks on the fuel selector. During the landing, the airplane bounced and the pilot executed a go-around in order to perform "a better landing." While executing the go-around the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway; however, the airplane touched down in a field and the left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that he forgot to switch fuel tanks during the flight and that was the reason the engine lost power. Examination of the airplane revealed the left main wing spar was bent.
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
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 398 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 349 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 9, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 18, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 18Y Milica MN at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 18Y Milica MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN10CA254.