Cessna 172M accident near Ramsey, MN
On October 13, 2017, a Cessna 172M (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ramsey, MN. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 13, 2017
- Place
- Ramsey, MN
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.218°N, 93.434°W
- NTSB ID
- 20171013X22853
Official records · CEN18FA011
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Plot of ATC Radar Position Data: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 13, 2017, at 1734 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M airplane, N7CF, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with power lines and the Mississippi River near Ramsey, Minnesota. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the Princeton Municipal Airport (PNM), Princeton, Minnesota, about 1705. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control radar position data depicted an airplane on a visual flight rules (VFR) transponder code near PNM. The initial contact was recorded at 1708 and the airplane subsequently proceeded south. At 1731, the airplane turned toward the southeast for approximately 1 mile before reversing course toward the northwest and proceeding along the Mississippi River. The final data point was recorded at 1733; the airplane was about 0.25 mile east of the Ferry Street Bridge and about 2.5 miles southeast of the power lines at that time. No altitude (mode C) data was available. Ground-based video footage, taken by a witness located about 200 yards east of the accident site, depicted the airplane flying at low altitude over the Mississippi River. The airplane appeared to be near treetop level proceeding northwest along the river. It appeared to be intact and in a shallow left turn apparently to follow a bend in the river at that location. Witnesses reported observing the airplane
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to fly along the river at a low altitude contrary to applicable regulations and safety of flight considerations which resulted in the impact with the power lines. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to see the and avoid the power lines due to their proximity to a bend in the river and the position of the sun at the time of the accident.
More accidents in MN
- Jetstream BA-3100, Dec 2, 1993
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- Beech King Air 100, Oct 25, 2002
- Cessna 180, Jul 12, 1987
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, Nov 25, 2007
Browse: Minnesota · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
