Cessna 180 accident near Grand Rapids, Minnesota, June 21, 1991
On June 21, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N6503A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER AIRSPEED DURING LANDING AND THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN SEAPLANES AND THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Rapids, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N6503A · registry record · serial 18032400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN A PROPER AIRSPEED DURING THE LANDING APPROACH TO THE SOUTHEAST. THE WINDS WERE ALSO SHIFTING FROM THE SOUTHEAST TO THE NORTHEAST DURING THE APPROACH. THE SEAPLANE BOUNCED ON LANDING AND THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE WATER. THE SEAPLANE THEN FLIPPED INVERTED.
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: 209 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: INL Intern'L Falls MN at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Bluewater Lake MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N6503A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CHI91LA197.