Weatherly 201C accident near Stephen, Minnesota, September 11, 1994
On September 11, 1994 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Weatherly 201C, registered N9054W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stephen, Minnesota (Stephen Municipal airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper rigging of the parking brake control cable resulting in inadvertent application of the left wheel brake.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1994 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Stephen, Minnesota · Stephen Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly 201C · all 201Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9054W · registry record · serial 1022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE INITIAL PORTION OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS UNEVENTFUL. AS THE TAIL STARTED TO LIFT OFF, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO PULL LEFT. THE PILOT MOVED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND APPLIED 'HARD' RIGHT BRAKE AS THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED THROUGH A SHALLOW DITCH INTO A SOFT WHEAT FIELD AND NOSED OVER. THE AIRPLANE WAS INSPECTED BY A DESIGNATED FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIRCRAFT INSPECTOR. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE REPORTED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL WAS IMPROPERLY RIGGED.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,446 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 9,962 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,177 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1994; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 985AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D41 at 1:30 pm
- Destination: D41 MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from 03Y, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9054W 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 CHI94LA320.