| Crash location | 44.627778°N, 93.228056°W |
| Nearest city | Lakeville, MN
44.649687°N, 93.242720°W 1.7 miles away |
| Tail number | N5180V |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 29 Aug 2004 |
| Aircraft type | Beech BE-18 |
| Additional details: | None |
On August 29, 2004, at 1415 central daylight time, a Beech BE-18, N5180V, sustained substantial damage during landing on runway 12 (4,098 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at the Airlake Airport (LVN), Lakeville, Minnesota. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured, and one passenger received minor injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight departed a private airstrip near Spooner, Wisconsin, at 1330, with LVN as the destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that the crosswinds on final approach to runway 12 were "quite strong" and he needed to crab into the wind to maintain runway alignment. He reported that during touchdown he was too fast for a 3 point landing and bounced about 3-4 feet in the air after touchdown. He reported that the "wind got under the right wing" and the airplane went off the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane "ground looped" with the left wing hitting the ground. The airplane hit light boxes and continued in a left turn. The right landing gear separated from the airplane, and then the airplane hit a 3-4 foot ditch before coming to a stop.
The recorded winds at LVN at 1415 were 150 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 14 knots.
The pilot's inadequate flare, the improper recovery from a bounced landing, the loss of directional control, and inadequate compensation for the crosswind. A factor was the crosswind.