Beech C23 accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota, June 27, 2010
On June 27, 2010 at about 6:01 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N9253S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Flying Cloud Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s loss of airplane control while landing with gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2010 · about 6:01 pm local time
- Place
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Flying Cloud Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 NO SERIES · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N9253S · registry record · serial M-1750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and his certified flight instructor performed three takeoff and landings at the accident airport in preparation for the student pilot's second solo flight. During the takeoff and landings, the wind was from the northwest at 8 to 11 knots with no wind gusts. After approximately 0.7 hours of flight time, the certified flight instructor exited the airplane and the student pilot taxied to the runway for takeoff. About the time of departure, the wind began to gust to 17 knots. The student pilot stated that during the landing flare, he experienced a downwash and that the airplane ballooned and turned to the right. He added power and applied rudder, but the nosewheel hit the runway and the airplane veered off the runway. The certified flight instructor placed a maximum wind limitation of 15 knots on the student pilot's initial solo endorsement.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 71 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,371 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Inflight Pilot Traning LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prarie MN
- Destination: FCM Eden Prarie MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from FCM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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.