Cessna 182J accident near Alexandria, Minnesota, November 12, 2011
On November 12, 2011 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N3051F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Alexandria, Minnesota (Chandler Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 night landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2011 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Alexandria, Minnesota · Chandler Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N3051F · no longer on the register · serial 18257151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane lost electrical power prior to a night landing. He said that, during the landing flare, the stall warning horn sounded, and he lost sight of the runway lights on the right side of the airplane. The airplane departed the runway and sustained substantial firewall damage when the nose landing gear impacted a runway sign and then buckled under the airplane. Except for the loss of electrical power, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
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 visual reference during landing defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 735 hours in all; 510 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 735 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: St Cloud Civ Air Pat Flying Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: DIK Dickinson ND at 10:45 pm
- Destination: AXN Alexandria MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.