Cessna 172 N8488L

Summary

On 13 September 2020 at about 19:32 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N8488L, operated by Harrier Aviation, was involved in an accident near Cottage Grove, Minnesota, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 September 2020 at 19:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Cottage Grove, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

So. St. Paul Municipal (SGS)

Coordinates

44.8110, -92.9198

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N8488L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Harrier Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

South St, Paul → South St, Paul

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA392

3 people died.

A steep descent and impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident flight was a “discovery flight” arranged by the rear seat passenger for his girlfriend, the front seat passenger. A flight instructor was seated in the right front seat. Flight track information revealed that, about four minutes after departure at an altitude of about 1,900 ft, the airplane entered a steep descent that continued until water contact. The airplane was destroyed when it impacted the water. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and no evidence of a bird strike. Visual meteorological conditions were present in the area at the time of the accident. Available medical information provided no evidence that the CFI had any medical condition, substance use, or toxic exposure that contributed to the accident. Based on the absence of detected ethanol in the CFI’s urine, it is likely that ethanol detected in his cavity blood was from sources other than ingestion. Given the available information, the reason for the airplane’s impact with terrain could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.