Cessna 175B accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota, October 14, 2002
On October 14, 2002 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 175B, registered N8161T, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota (Lake Elmo Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors to the accident included the gusting wind conditions and the encountered windshear, which resulted in the inadvertent stall at a low altitude and subsequent in-flight collision with the transmission wire and hangar.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2002 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Elmo, Minnesota · Lake Elmo Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175B · all 175Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8161T · no longer on the register · serial 17556861
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a go-around the airplane encountered windshear and stalled, impacting a power line and an airplane hangar. The pilot stated he had attempted to land on runway 22 and elected to go-around prior to touchdown. The pilot reported flying "about 90 to 100 mph" during the go-around and when he turned downwind he "encountered a wind shear." The pilot stated the encounter with the wind shear "increased angle of attack" and the "airplane stalled." The pilot reported, "I tried to regain control, pulled power, hit power lines and airplane hangar." Gusting wind conditions were reported around the time of the accident, with a reported wind speed of 36 knots at 1218.
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
- Last flight review: December 18, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,048 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 2002; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKE Milwaukee WI at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 21D Lake Elmo MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 19 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from STP, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.