Christen Industries INC A-1 accident near Eden Prairie, Minnesota, September 23, 2021
On September 23, 2021 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1988 Christen Industries INC A-1, registered N2923W, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Eden Prairie, Minnesota (Flying Cloud Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll resulting in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2021 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota · Flying Cloud Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries INC A-1, built 1988 · all A-1s on the register
- Registration
- N2923W · no longer on the register · serial 1035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he had landed at his destination airport in his tailwheel-equipped airplane and was turning off the runway onto the taxiway when the airplane’s right wing dipped and struck the runway. The airplane subsequently ground looped, nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot also reported that the degree and speed of the turn resulted in the wing striking the runway.
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 taxi (from runway) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 670 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 23, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,890 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 11,388 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIC Crystal MN at 3:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KFCM, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFCM 181453Z VRB05KT 10SM CLR 13/05 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP157 T01330050 51003
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN21LA451.