Beech A36TC accident near Cannon Falls, Minnesota, June 22, 2007
On June 22, 2007 at about 7:17 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N3671S, was destroyed in an accident near Cannon Falls, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientaton and loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2007 · about 7:17 pm local time
- Place
- Cannon Falls, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N3671S · no longer on the register · serial EA-95
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private, non-instrument rated pilot departed in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight following to his destination. When he neared his destination, he contacted approach control and reported that his altitude was 2,500 feet above mean sea level (msl). Approach control informed the pilot that there were moderate to heavy rain showers over the destination airport. The pilot reported that he was experiencing "poor visibility" and was considering turning 180 degrees to "go back." Approach control informed the pilot that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed north of his position with moderate to heavy rain showers. The pilot reported, "We're, we're kinda in the soup at this point." The pilot reported that he was turning to the south and soon after the airplane was lost from radar contact. A witness reported that he heard an airplane and then saw the accident airplane descending through a cloud layer that was about 400 - 500 feet above the ground. The airplane was in about a 50-degree nose down attitude with the airplane's engine producing "cruise power." He reported that the airplane was flying at a high rate of speed for about four seconds until he heard the airplane impact the terrain. The observed weather in the area of the accident was reported as marginal VMC and instrument meteorological conditions. The inspection of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies.
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: 461 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,393 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2007; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,833 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: LVN Lavkeville MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from LVN, 20 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.