No fatalities

Amphibious Airplane Experiences Hard Landing and Wheel Separation on Runway 30

Brainerd, MN, United States

On May 25, 2009, a CESSNA U206C was involved in an aviation accident near Brainerd, MN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing in gusty winds. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

An amphibious airplane touched down hard on Runway 30, causing the left main landing gear wheel to separate and fuselage wrinkles. The pilot reported gusty winds from the right.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during the landing approach to runway 30, which is 4,080 feet long and 75 feet wide, the amphibious airplane encountered a gust of wind from the right. The airplane touched down "very hard" on its left side, resulting in the separation of the left outside wheel of the main landing gear. The aircraft came to rest on the edge of the runway.

Pilot Report

The pilot described the wind conditions as "variable and very gusty between ground level and 3,000 feet [above ground level]." The pilot had accumulated 4,333 total flight hours, including 1,039 hours in the accident airplane.

Aircraft Damage

Examination of the airplane after the incident revealed wrinkling on both sides of the fuselage. No other damage details were provided in the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

Performance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation