Universal Stinson 108-1 accident near Hector, Minnesota, July 14, 2013
On July 14, 2013 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Universal Stinson 108-1, registered N855F, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hector, Minnesota (Hector Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent application of the brakes and failure to main directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2013 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hector, Minnesota · Hector Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Universal Stinson 108-1 · all 108-1s on the register
- Registration
- N855F · registry record · serial 108-1519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll, at about 50 knots, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot stated that as the airplane drifted to the left, she inadvertently tapped on the right brake, and then released the brake while adding right ailerons inputs. Corrections were made to maneuver the airplane back to the runway centerline. The right wingtip was lowered and impacted the ground 2 or 3 times. She continued to apply inputs to the right rudder pedal. The airplane nosed-over and sustained substantial damage to both wing spars and the vertical stabilizer. The second pilot stated that he didn’t know why the airplane responded as it did and was unsure if there were any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. He estimated the wind to be from the left at 5 knots. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. As the pilot was making continuous rudder pedal inputs, it is likely that she inadvertently applied the brakes.
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 takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 83 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 29, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 14,925 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 220 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 19, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,232 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,230 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4150 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KFCM Eden Praire MN at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 1D6 Hector MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,580 ft by 165 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; ovct at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:14 pm from KOVL, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 CEN13CA412.