Probable cause
The pilot's failure to perform a go around following a bounced landing that resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
NTSB analysis
The commercial pilot was practicing landings with light wind present in his tailwheel airplane on an occasionally used grass area south of the paved runway. The pilot made one successful landing on the grass. During the next landing, the airplane bounced, which resulted in a nose up attitude. The pilot does not recall if he added engine power to remedy the bounced landing. However, the pilot did not perform a go-around as recommended by the Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook. The airplane stalled and impacted terrain in a nose low attitude. The propeller "dug in" the terrain and the airplane nosed over. The airplane subsequently sustained substantial empennage damage. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN20CA250 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 25, 2020
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Red Wing, Minnesota
- Nearest airport
- Red Wing Rgnl (RGK)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Amateur-built CB 1
- N-number
- N35JA
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1979
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.