NTSB CHI01LA027 — 2000-10-30 · AUSTIN, Minnesota, United States

N3028G has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162, built 2011), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N3028G Forney F1A Minor

Probable cause & findings

the proper glide path not being maintained by the pilot which resulted in the proper touchdown point not being obtained during the approach. A factor to the accident was the rising embankment.

Factual narrative

On October 30, 2000, at 1138 central standard time (cst), a Forney F1A, N3028G, owned and operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with the terrain while on approach to runway 18 ( 4,796 feet by 100 feet, dry/asphalt ) at the Austin Municipal Airport, Austin, Minnesota. Visual metrological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported minor injuries. The flight departed the Houston County Airport, Caledonia, Minnesota about 1000 cst. Postaccident investigation revealed that the aircraft had landed approximately 500-feet short of runway 18 and impacted an embankment of Interstate I-90. Inspection of the aircraft and its control systems failed to reveal any anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition. Inspection of the aircraft engine, including the fuel system, failed to reveal any preexisting anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition. Review of the aircraft logbooks revealed that the aircraft's last annual airworthiness inspection was on May 4, 1994. According to the pilot's written statement, the airplane was being flown to the Austin Municipal Airport to receive an annual airworthiness inspection. No additional narrative information was provided in the pilot's written statement. The aircraft landed short of the runway, impacting an embankment of an interstate. Inspection of the aircraft and its control systems failed to reveal any anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition. Inspection of the aircraft engine, including the fuel system, failed to reveal any preexisting anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition. Review of the aircraft logbooks revealed that the aircraft's last annual airworthiness inspection was on May 4, 1994. According to the pilot's written statement, the airplane was being flown to the Austin Municipal Airport to receive an annual airworthiness inspection. No additional narrative information was provided in the pilot's written statement. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2000_CHI01LA027.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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