Amateur-built Swick BC 12-D accident near Winsted, Minnesota, July 16, 2003
On July 16, 2003 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Swick BC 12-D, registered N7895A, was destroyed in an accident near Winsted, Minnesota (Winsted Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate aircraft preflight by both pilots of the closed main fuel valve which led to fuel starvation of the engine. Additional causes were the lack of recent experience in the accident airplane and the inadvertent stall by both pilots after a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2003 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winsted, Minnesota · Winsted Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Swick BC 12-D
- Registration
- N7895A · no longer on the register · serial 789JDA
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain after it banked to the left and descended in a 45-degree nose down angle following takeoff. The airplane was witnessed to have lost and regained engine power several times upon reaching an altitude of 150-200 feet above ground level and about 1/2 way down the departure runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the main fuel valve was in the off position and the header tank fuel valve was in the on position. The flight was to serve as a maintenance flight and an instructional flight. The private pilot stated that he thought that the certified flight instructor (CFI) did not have any flight time in the accident airplane. The private pilot accumulated a total flight time of 10.6 hours in the accident airplane, which he last flew about 7 months prior to the accident. The CFI was seated in the left seat and the private pilot was seated in the right seat with the only available control stick positioned between both seats.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,300 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 234 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 183 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 1, 2003; 0.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-AID (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 10D Winsted MN at 8:15 pm
- Destination: 10D
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,248 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:17 pm from GYL, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.