Amateur-built SOPHWITH CAMEL accident near Carrington, North Dakota, July 31, 1987
On July 31, 1987, a amateur-built SOPHWITH CAMEL, registered CGNAT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrington, North Dakota (Carrington-Mathery airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1987
- Place
- Carrington, North Dakota · Carrington-Mathery · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SOPHWITH CAMEL SOPHWITH C
- Registration
- CGNAT · no longer on the register · serial C1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CANADIAN PRIVATE PLT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED FUEL STOP WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. DURING TAXI FROM LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUSTING CROSSWIND. THE LEFT WING LIFTED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,270 hours in all; 70 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1987; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner 165 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOT Minot ND at 9:45 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,813 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.