Amateur-built RV-3A accident near Walker, Minnesota, July 27, 1988
On July 27, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-3A, registered N9WL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walker, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Walker, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-3A
- Registration
- N9WL · registry record · serial 666
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER MAKING A LOW LEVEL PASS OVER A LAKE, HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB TO PATTERN ALTITUDE IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. WHEN THE CLIMB WAS INITIATED, THE AIRCRAFT DID A LOOP AND THE PLT LOST CONTROL. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED AND SANK IN 15 FEET OF WATER. THE ALLOWABLE CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG) RANGE FOR THE AIRCRAFT IS 9.7 INCHES TO 14.5 INCHES. THE CALCULATED CG AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE WAS 16.02 INCHES. WITNESSES CONFIRM THAT THE ACFT DID IN FACT DO A LOOP 'AS IN AN AIRSHOW'. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM A LOOP.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,252 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: Y49 Walker MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from GPZ, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI88DER05.