Cessna 180 accident near New Brighton, Minnesota, July 12, 1987
On July 12, 1987 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N5027E, was destroyed in an accident near New Brighton, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 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 12, 1987 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- New Brighton, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N5027E · registry record · serial 50327
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE FLOATPLANE START A CLIMBING LEFT TURN SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE FROM A WATER TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT DOVE INTO THE WATER WHERE IT STRUCK THE SURFACE RIGHT WING FIRST, FLIPPED INVERTED AND SANK. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST SUBMERGED AND SUSPENDED UPSIDE DOWN FROM THE FLOATS WHICH REMAINED ON THE SURFACE. ALL FIVE OCCUPANTS DIED BY DROWNING IN THE AIRPLANE.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,809 hours in all; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,813 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1987; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MSP, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.