Beech E18S accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota, October 2, 1997
On October 2, 1997 at about 11:05 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N916TM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota (Lake Elmo airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 identify the unsafe condition (vortex turbulence) which existed due to departing airplane and his subsequent inability to control the airplane once encountering the turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1997 · about 11:05 am local time
- Place
- Lake Elmo, Minnesota · Lake Elmo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N916TM · registry record · serial BA337
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane lifted off at 70 knots. After accelerating in ground effect the airplane became 'unstable in the roll axis' so he added power. He reported that the left wing tip contacted the runway approximately 3/4 the way down the runway. The pilot then added additional power at which point the left wing contacted the grass off the left side of the departure end of the runway. The pilot then reduced the power to idle and landed the airplane in the grass collapsing the landing gear. The pilot reported that the engines sounded normal throughout the accident sequence. Investigation revealed another Beech 18 had taken off on the same runway, but in the opposite direction of N916TM less than one minute prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- VORTEX TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED during takeoff - initial climb
- DRAGGED WING,ROTOR,POD,FLOAT OR TAIL/SKID during takeoff - initial climb
- MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED during takeoff - aborted
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, helicopter, helicopter
- Flight time: 4,450 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: unknown
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,530 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: May Air Xpress
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 21D at 11:05 am
- Destination: MSP Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,250 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°C, dew point 52°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from STP, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CHI98LA003.