Cessna 172 accident near St Cloud, Minnesota, June 22, 1995
On June 22, 1995 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2027E, was substantially damaged in an accident near St Cloud, Minnesota (St Cloud Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW, AND INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1995 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- St Cloud, Minnesota · St Cloud Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2027E · no longer on the register · serial 17271124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT STATED HE LOOKED AT A WEATHER RADAR DISPLAY AND DID NOT OBSERVE ADVERSE WEATHER. ABOUT 35 MINUTES AFTER THE FLIGHT'S DEPARTURE, HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, HE SAW RAIN COMING DOWN THE RUNWAY, BUT DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH AND LAND. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A SUDDEN, STRONG, WIND GUST, AND LOST FORWARD MOTION (GROUND SPEED). HE BELIEVED THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, SO HE DECIDED TO LAND SHORT. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER LANDING, A STRONG GUST OF WIND PICKED UP THE AIRPLANE AND TURNED IT ON ITS LEFT WING TIP. WEATHER NEAR THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED, IN PART AS: 600' SCATTERED, 5000' BROKEN, VISIBILITY 1-3/4 MILE WITH THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS, WIND FROM 080 DEGREES AT 10 GUSTING 56 KNOTS.
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: 77 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,129 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1995; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 56
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from STC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.