Casualties unknown

Aircraft Strikes Trees During Aborted Landing (N256J)

Hawley, MN, US

On November 5, 2001, a Bellanca 7GCBC (registration N256J) operated by Same AS Pilot was involved in an aviation accident near Hawley, MN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control. A factor was the trees. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

During an aborted landing, the pilot lost directional control and became airborne again. The aircraft struck trees after the pilot attempted to avoid a runway marker and then fell into a pond.

Incident Overview

During an aborted landing, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft, which then became airborne again. The sequence ended with the aircraft striking trees on neighboring property north of the runway and descending into a small pond or swamp.

Pilot's Account

According to the pilot, the aircraft touched down at approximately a 30-degree angle to the runway, heading 310, and directly facing a runway marker. The pilot advanced the throttle to full power, describing the action as "too fast," which caused the engine to spit and sputter. The aircraft lifted enough to clear the runway marker but did not gain further altitude. The terrain below sloped downward due to a side hill.

Avoidance Maneuver

Faced with trees on neighboring property north of the strip, the pilot considered a hard left bank to avoid them but believed this would cause the left wing to contact the ground. Instead, the pilot banked slightly left to avoid a direct fuselage impact with tree limbs. The right wing struck a tree, after which the aircraft fell approximately 30 to 40 feet straight down into a small pond or swamp.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20020107X00043. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.