Cub Crafters CC18-180 accident near Crookston, Minnesota, September 19, 2008
On September 19, 2008 at about 6:20 am local time, a Cub Crafters CC18-180, registered N18ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Crookston, Minnesota (Crookston Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2008 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Crookston, Minnesota · Crookston Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cub Crafters CC18-180 · all CC18-180s on the register
- Registration
- N18ND · registry record · serial CC18-0004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the instructional flight was to gain experience in flying the tail-wheel-configured airplane from the rear seat. Both pilots were flight instructors. The supervising instructor was in the front seat. The instructor looking to gain experience was in the rear seat. The pilots began by conducting two touch and goes on the turf runway without incident. However, as more aircraft entered the traffic pattern for the intersecting paved runway they decided to use that runway. The initial approach and flare to that runway, 13 (4,300 feet by 75 feet, asphalt), were stable. After touchdown the airplane drifted to the left. As the rear seat (flying) pilot attempted to correct, the airplane veered to the right, departing the right side of the runway and nosing over. The supervising instructor reported that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with airplane prior to 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,497 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,263 as pilot in command; 811 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 377 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 132 as pilot in command; 56 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 20, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 7, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Und Aerospace Foundation
The flight
- Departed from: CKN Crookston MN at 3:55 pm
- Destination: CKN Crookston MN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 13, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from CKN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.