Taylorcraft 19 accident near Shakopee, Minnesota, August 18, 1996
On August 18, 1996 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Taylorcraft 19, registered N6630N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shakopee, Minnesota (Valley View airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the right main landing gear shock strut due to internal corrosion. The restriction to inspection of the strut was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1996 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shakopee, Minnesota · Valley View · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft 19
- Registration
- N6630N · no longer on the register · serial 4-13030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the landing gear strut revealed that the bungee cord attach tube had failed from internal corrosion. This area was not visible during normal preflight and was difficult to see during an annual inspection. The airframe had accumulated 2,212 hours since new and 37 hours since the last annual inspection. The investigation did not determined when the last bungee cord was replaced.
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: 30,100 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 30,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,212 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1995; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,640 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:48 pm from KFC, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.