Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Belvidere, South Dakota 57521
Thursday, November 23, 1995 8:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a weather briefing, the pilot was advised that 'the forecast across South Dakota for the eastern third of the state 2,500 AGL scattered to broken with 5,000 overcast with occasional visibilities three to five miles in light snow....' During the flight the airplane experienced an in-flight breakup. The wings were fractured at the roots with evidence of positive overload. The empennage was separated from the tail cone with evidence of torsional overload. According to local residents, 'low' visibility existed in the vicinity of the accident due to fog and blowing snow. Airplane weight and balance calculations indicate the center of gravity was beyond the aft center of gravity limit. Toxicological tests detected dextromethorphan in the liver fliud (0.009 ug/ml) and kidney fluid (0.007 ug/ml). Pseudoephedrine was also detected in liver fluid. Additionally, a substance was detected, but not quantified, which according to the manager of the FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory 'appears to be an ergotamine type compound.' Examination of the pilot's personal medical records revealed medical treatment for an 'asthma flare' 17 days prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's attempted visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, his failure to maintain control of the airplane, and exceeding the design stress limits of the airplane. Factors in the accident were: the snow and fog, and the aft airplane center of gravity.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/23/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 800 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | BELVIDERE |
| Event State | SOUTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 57521 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 749 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PIR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1742 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 60 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1960 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 23 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1200 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3966M |
| NTSB Number | CHI96FA038 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-201T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-28-201T |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-7803205 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 2 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 144 |
| Airframe Hours | 1307 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PAUL A. RANSCHAU |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 710 ROAD 8VE |
| Aircraft Owner City | POWELL |
| Aircraft Owner State | WY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 82435 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FSD |
| Departure City | SIOUX FALLS |
| Departure State | SD |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 800 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RAP |
| Destination City | RAPID CITY |
| Destination State | SD |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |