Amateur-built QUICKIE accident near So. St. Paul, Minnesota, June 27, 1992
On June 27, 1992 at about 1:15 am local time, a amateur-built QUICKIE, registered N533C, was substantially damaged in an accident near So. St. Paul, Minnesota (South St. Paul-Fleming airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1992 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- So. St. Paul, Minnesota · South St. Paul-Fleming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKIE
- Registration
- N533C · registry record · serial 533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE SEEMED TO OPERATE NORMALLY DURING A BRIEF LOCAL FLIGHT. HE RETURNED TO THE HOME BASE AIRPORT AND PERFORMED A TOUCH AND GO. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE PILOT NOTICED A DECREASED RATE OF CLIMB AND ENGINE RPM. THE PILOT BELIEVED IT WAS TOO LATE TO PUT THE AIRPLANE BACK DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, SO HE TRIED TO 'MILK IT AROUND' TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A GRADUAL DESCENT INTO TREES AND A HOUSE BEFORE IT CAME TO REST ON A ROAD IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT STATED HE BELIEVED CARBURETOR ICING MAY HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE TEMPERATURE/DEWPOINT PROVIDED BY THE PILOT WERE NOTED ON A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART. THE RESULT INDICATED A PROBABILITY FOR MODERATE ICING AT CRUISE POWER/SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER.
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: 931 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 2.2 in the last 90 days; 2.2 in the last 30 days; 890 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1991; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 463 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Onan B48M GAO-18 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D97 at 1:14 am
- Destination: D97
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 am from STP, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.