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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Flying Cloud Airport · cases near this 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2011. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N51RF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N51RF: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Rockwell International 500 19 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Rockwell International 657 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-E1B5 5,074 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540 SER 5,074 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Flying Cloud Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Minnesota 1,544 since 1982 · 209 in the last ten years
- Minnesota 6,958 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N51RF 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN11TA279.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.