Cessna 172 accident near Sauk Centre, Minnesota, July 4, 1983
On July 4, 1983, a Cessna 172, registered N5010A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sauk Centre, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1983
- Place
- Sauk Centre, Minnesota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5010A · registry record · serial 28010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BECAUSE OF WEATHER. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK A RUT AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE WEATHER WAS IMC. THE PILOT DID RECIEVE A WEATHER BRIEFING AND THE WEATHER INFORMATION WAS ACCURATE. THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS MADE OFF ARPT IN AN OPEN FIELD.
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: 137 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,398 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1982; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: C.A.P. Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: MN86 Park Rapids MN
- Destination: STC St. Cloud MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded at 600 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.