Piper/Wally'S Flyers INC J3C-65 accident near Crystal, Minnesota, June 19, 2010
On June 19, 2010 at about 1:53 pm local time, a Piper/Wally'S Flyers INC J3C-65, registered N25WF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Crystal, Minnesota (Crystal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the crosswind landing and the instructor pilot's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2010 · about 1:53 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal, Minnesota · Crystal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper/Wally'S Flyers INC J3C-65
- Registration
- N25WF · registry record · serial 5671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flying the airplane was in training to get a tailwheel endorsement and a flight review since he was not current. The pilot and flight instructor did some air work in the practice area before returning to the airport to practice takeoffs and full stop landings. The pilot completed ten takeoffs and full stop landings with a right crosswind. They changed runways in order to practice a left crosswind landing. The flare and landing were normal. During the landing roll out, a gust of wind lifted the left wing and caused the airplane to weather vane and veer off the left side of the runway. The airplane struck an airport sign damaging the right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator. The flight instructor stated, “I should have corrected the aircraft sooner and before my student got out of control.”
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 213 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wallys Flyers INC
The flight
- Departed from: MIC Crystal MN at 12:00 pm
- Destination: MIC Crystal MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32R, 3,263 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N25WF 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.