Rockwell International 500-S accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota, April 8, 2011
On April 8, 2011 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Rockwell International 500-S, registered N51RF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Flying Cloud Airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind while landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Flying Cloud Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International 500-S · all 500-Ss on the register
- Registration
- N51RF · no longer on the register · serial 3298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he performed a stabilized visual approach with a right crosswind. The airplane touched down on the centerline and subsequently drifted to the right. The pilot overcorrected for the drift and the airplane veered hard to the left. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway and skidded to a complete stop. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wingtip hit the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wing. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies. The pilot additionally reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- 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 › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 473 hours in all; 217 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 268 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,659 hours in all; 2,480 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 3,544 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,298 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TI0-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TI0-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: United States Department Of Commerce
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: FCM Eden Prairie MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10R, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from FCM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N51RF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN11TA279.