Amateur-built Avid Air Magnum accident near Cando, North Dakota, April 16, 2005
On April 16, 2005 at about 3:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Avid Air Magnum, registered N774CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cando, North Dakota (Cando Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to compensate for the crosswind condition and maintain directional control during landing rollout. Factors to the accident were the crosswind and the muddy drainage ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2005 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cando, North Dakota · Cando Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Avid Air Magnum
- Registration
- N774CA · registry record · serial 101M
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed-over after departing the left side of runway 34 during landing rollout. The pilot stated that prior to landing the windsock indicated the wind was from 280 degrees magnetic at 5 to 10 knots. The pilot reported that he made an uneventful two-point (wheels-on) touchdown on runway 34 and after the airplane had rolled 150 to 200 feet it experienced a "severe" crosswind that "forced" the airplane to the right. The pilot stated that he "quickly" applied a left rudder input followed by a right rudder input, resulting in an S-turn with the tail on the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane was "forced off" the left side of the runway into a muddy drainage ditch.
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
- Flight time: 219 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 20, 2004; 56.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9D7 Cando ND at 2:20 pm
- Destination: 9D7 Cando ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from DVL, 25 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.