Beech S35 accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, July 24, 2002
On July 24, 2002 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N6162G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Airlake Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The proper glide path not obtained/maintained by the pilot. The approach lights were a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2002 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Airlake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N6162G · no longer on the register · serial D7574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a series of four foot high approach lights located at the approach end of the runway. The runway contained markings delineating a displaced threshold as well as being listed as having a displaced threshold in the Airport Facility Directory. The manager of the airport stated that another airplane hit the same series of lights approximately one week before the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 542 hours in all; 324 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 497 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,425 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 2002; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FOD Fort Dodge IA at 12:15 pm
- Destination: LVN Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,098 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 12:58 pm from LVN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.