No fatalities

Aborted Takeoff Leads to Windsock Impact on Grass Strip

Bowstring, MN, United States

On November 13, 2015, a CESSNA 182Q Q was involved in an aviation accident near Bowstring, MN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot exceeded the critical angle of attack during takeoff which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with a wind sock and terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff from a grass airstrip, a pilot aborted the climb due to perceived insufficient power. During the landing, the aircraft struck a windsock, causing substantial firewall damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during takeoff from a grass airstrip with 20 degrees of flaps selected, the airplane rotated at approximately 50 knots and climbed to an altitude of about 80 feet above ground level. The pilot sensed that the airplane "seemed" not to be "making" enough power to continue the climb.

Abort and Landing

Deciding to abort the takeoff, the pilot opted to land directly ahead on the remaining portion of the landing strip. During the landing, the airplane impacted a windsock located about 140 feet to the left of the runway centerline and approximately 500 feet short of the departure end, on the left edge of the strip.

Damage and Pilot Statement

The collision resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. In a telephone interview with the NTSB Investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that the stall warning horn was audible during the initial climb.

Contributing factors

PilotPitch control — Not attained/maintainedClimb capability — Not attained/maintainedCapability exceeded