Amateur-built VIKING DRAGONFLY accident near Faribault, Minnesota, July 7, 1985
On July 7, 1985 at about 5:15 pm local time, a amateur-built VIKING DRAGONFLY, registered N59BC, was destroyed in an accident near Faribault, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 7, 1985 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Faribault, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VIKING DRAGONFLY VIKING DRA
- Registration
- N59BC · no longer on the register · serial 017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND BURST INTO FLAMES DURING A FORCED LANDING. ON THE PLT'S SECOND RADIO CONTACT WITH FARIBAULT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT UNICOM HE DECLARED, 'I HAVE ENGINE FAILURE. I'M GOING DOWN IN A CORN FIELD.' POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED LARGE QUANTITIES OF RUST AND DEBRIS IN THE FUEL STRAINER BOWL. THE CARBURETOR ALSO CONTAINED CORROSION AND FOREIGN DEBRIS IN THE CASE.
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: 125 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen AS41 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SUS St. Louis MO at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FCM Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from MSP, 45 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N59BC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.